Dragon's Blood
by DragonsArePrettyCool
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, who longed to be freed from the clutches of a terrible dragon. Actually, screw that. Let's make this a different kind of fairy tale. This is the story of the princess who fell in love with her dragon. Nalu AU. HIATUS OVER, NEARLY COMPLETE
1. The Princess and The Dragon

**Disclaimer: I do not own fairy tail, or any of the fairy tail characters.**

 **So this is going to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling with Lucy and Natsu. Of course, I`m a HUGE nalu fan.**

 **This story is the first in a fairy tale series that I am writing, basing each story off of a fairy tale, for each of my ships. (Nalu: beauty and the beast, GaLe: Cinderella, Jerza, Gruvia: I feel like the little mermaid is perfect for Gray x Juvia. probably Laxus x Cana too.)**

 **Let me know what you think!**

Princess Lucy Heartfilia ran through the deserted streets. Her expensive dress was ripped to shreds and soaked through with mud. The lamps bordering the street flickered silently, casting an eerie red glow over the cobblestones. Panting hard, Lucy dashed past the Celestial river bridge, sparing a glance over her shoulder at the faraway castle that had once been her home.

Her blond hair was falling out of its bun, it was drenched from the relentless rain. The tangles hung limply around her sweaty face. Lucy was exhausted, but she could hear the sound of men and dogs in the distance, and the fear pounding in her chest kept her feet moving.

Tears left trails in the grime on her cheeks. Buildings flew by, the wind bit at her skin, but still the princess stumbled on through the darkness.

 _The forest._ She thought desperately _. They won't find me there._

"There! There she is!" A rough male voice shouted.

At the shout, Lucy's heart skipped a beat. A pack of men on horseback, about fifteen of them, were closing in quickly, torches and swords in hand.

She spun around and dashed towards the thick line of evergreen trees. The Merrimor forest. It was filled with nasty creatures, and dangerous few people ever made it out alive, and an even smaller number kept their sanity.

She had no other option. With just a moment's hesitation, the princess plunged through the thorns.

As she made her way through the sharp brambles, pain flared in her abdomen, her legs, her arms, and face. The thorns kept getting caught on her skin, making stripes of red blood all over her body.

Lucy reached the end of the briars. She could see light up ahead, and pushed her bruised arms outward towards the open air.

Panting, she stumbled out into a wooded clearing. Lucy collapsed on the spot.

She remained very still for several minutes, listening for sounds of pursuit. The hounds were whining, frustrated by the barrier of thorns and mingling scents, and a little bit nearer, the muffled sound of voices in heated debate carried across the thick hedge.

Hardly daring to breath, the princess looked up to the towering trees above.

 _Maybe,_ she thought, _If I could just find way up into that tree..._

Suddenly, she smelled smoke. An orange light flickered just beyond the bramble patch. Her heart pounded in her chest.

 _They're burning the bramble patch!_

Lucy pressed herself up against a tree. The flames were beginning to spread through the dry foliage, crackling with an intense fervor.

Smoke billowed up into the dark sky. Without warning, the brambles crumpled away, and a dark figure came through the hedge.

"S-stay away!" Lucy staggered backwards in fear. "I won't go back. You can't make me."

The man only smiled cruelly, and, suddenly, another man came up from behind and wrapped a calloused hand around the back of her neck. Their other hand held a knife to her back.

Lucy cried out as blood flowed from the shallow wound. Her fingers were trembling, and sweat made her dress stick to her skin.

"I've got her, boys!" A harsh male voice shouted, right next to her ear . "Hurry and put out the fire, b'fore we attract an ogre."

Lucy squirmed against the knife. "Let me go, you bastard!"

His chuckle was his response, "Now, look here, sweetheart. I'm getting paid big money to bring you back to your precious daddy. There's no way I'd pass up two million jewel-especially not for capturing a princess. Boy, will I have a heck of a story to tell the boys back home."

At that, the men erupted into peals of laughter. Lucy's breaths were quick and shallow as she looked for any sign of compassion in the men's faces.

"As soon as my brother is king, you'll pay for this." She shouted. Her voice sounded pathetically weak. "He won't stand for it!"

The man holding the knife to her back cackled, his breath hot on her neck. "Yeah? Well, I don't think big brother can help you now. Shall we wait, say, ten to twenty years?"

Lucy gritted her teeth. Her older brother, Malachi, was her only relative other than her father, King Jude Heartfilia the Third. Malachi was five years older, and had always been very protective of Lucy. As soon as her father was dead, Malachi would be king, and Lucy would finally be free.

"Come on, sweetheart. Smile for me. You don't look as pretty when you frown."

Lucy shivered at the dark tone of voice he was using. His filthy fingers dug into her waist .

"Let. Me. Go." She spat.

"You have spunk. I like you." His foul smell mingled with the damp night air. He was close, _way_ too close. Lucy shut her eyes, trying to block out the sound of the flames crackling and the feeling of his hands on her body. His hand snaked up her neck. "Are you _scared_ , princess? Because no one is going to hear your scream...the king only said he wanted you back alive." He snickered. "He didn't say we couldn't have a little fun.

 _Please._ She called silently. _If there's somebody out there, anybody, please, help me._

The fire was dying, but it still kept up a good blaze. Smoke filled the night sky, billowing up into the darkness.

The men jeered, a sinister light filling their eyes.

Her captor put is mouth up to her ear. "And frankly, I don't think your daddy _cares._ "

Lucy's breaths were coming quick now, terror fluttering like a trapped bird in her chest.

She let out a scream, filling the darkness with a chilling sound. Every pixie, gremlin, and gnome within the mile-radius looked up from whatever they were doing, shuddering at the horrific sound of despair. A troll or two licked their lips in hopeful anticipation. One she-elf let her arrow fly crooked, scaring away her prey, and a fairy let loose a tear, fluttering into her tree to block out the sound. But far above the forest, flying through the sky, was a dragon.

The dragon, who could usually care less about humans, heard Lucy's scream, and felt something in his giant chest snap. In his monstrous state, he couldn't process thoughts normally, but his instincts told him to Protect. Help. Defend.

The dragon continued on his way south, shaking the strange feeling off. Never in his life had he felt such a strong impulse. It wasn't natural for the beast.

But, as he made his way across the sky, he heard the screaming again, this time accompanied by the smell of smoke. _Fire!_

He couldn't help himself, fire to him was like flowers to a bee. He folded his great wings and dived, headed straight towards the small, smoking clearing. The dragon roared, shaking the trees and the earth itself.

The soldiers looked up at the sound of the dragon's roar. Most of them dropped their weapons and ran, but a half-dozen men stood their ground.

Lucy's heart thundered in her chest, so much that she was afraid it would burst. The air was filled with tension. Every living thing in the forest was drawing a collective breath. Smoke mingled with the smell of pine and moss.

"Put out the fire! PUT OUT THE FIRE!" The leader shouted, forgetting Lucy for a moment.

The moment his hand slipped from her wrist, the princess silently dissapeared into the forest.

A second later, white-hot flames engulfed the clearing, turning the soldiers to charcoal and incinerating the trees. The dragon's four giant feet pounded into the earth. A cloud of ash and dust erupted from the cracks beneath his feet.

He pointed his head to the sky and roared, caught up in the thrill of the inferno. Any humans who had been caught up in the flames had been wiped from the face of earth. The great beast breathed a searing column of flames into the air.

Lucy peered out at the dragon that stood in the now bare clearing, tree that she had breen climbing had protected her from most of the flames. Her clothing had taken the worst beating. Aside from the ruined skirt and the ripped sleeves, Lucy barely had any burns on her body.

She knew she should be afraid of him. The ferocious, fire-breathing beast had just barbecued a whole military regiment. But instead of wanting to run and hide, Lucy found herself stepping out from behind the blackened trunk of the tree, putting herself in danger of the dragons flames. Something about the dragon-she had no idea what-almost reminded her of her own brother.

The dragon froze in place. Tentatively, he stretched out his long neck, blowing a puff of smoke from his nostrils. The princess stood her ground. She hardly dared to breath.

"Thank you." She whispered, finding the courage to place her muddy hand on his nose.

 _I'm standing face to face with a dragon._ Lucy almost laughed at herself, if it weren't for the fact that this creature would likely charbroil her at any momemt. _A dragon!_

She looked him in the eyes, amazing herself with her own bravery. Deep, vibrant green, catlike green orbs staring at her from within a red-scaled head. The eyes blinked, widening suddenly, and without warning, the dragon erupted into the sky.

Lucy felt the wind whip her hair out of its already destroyed bun, her tattered dress fluttering against the breeze. She looked up into the night sky, awestruck. Her rescuer flew high, high up towards the shining moon, flapping his great wings in some kind of majestic dance.

Just then, several of the men who had run off returned. There were about five of them, each carrying a sword and a shield.

They arranged themselves in a barrier around the princess.

"Your highness, you are to come with us. We have orders from the king." One of the soldiers said gruffly, trying to sound manly after running away from a dragon.

Lucy spun around. She was trapped.

Her heart sank back into her stomach when she realized that she was still going back to the palace, even after the dragon had come to her aid. Her throat began to close up, and she felt tears sting her eyes.

"No! I'll die before I go back! You can't take me!" She screamed, throwing her shoe at a guard.

The shoe bounced off harmlessly with a loud _plunk_. The soldiers would have laughed if they weren't so shaken up.

Lucy decided, right then and there, that she would fight til her heart stopped beating and her blood ran out. She couldn't do much to defend herself, but she would kick, scream, and bite at anyone who tried to take her back. _I will not return to my father._ she thought gravely. _He can't use me as his pawn anymore._

The soldiers weren't very organized. Their captains and leader had all been burnt to a crisp. But they all drew their swords, hoping to intimidate the princess into cooperating. The sharp iron blades, glinting in the moonlight, formed a deadly ring trapping the fierce young woman.

Instead of cowering, Lucy lifted her chin, and stepped into the nearest blade. She winced slightly as the tip punctured the flesh just under her ribcage.

Blood flowed freely down the white dress. The soldiers gasped, and stepped back.

"Don't threaten me. I would rather you stab me through with a thousand swords than cage me like a bird." She spoke calmly, despite the paleness of her face and the pain in her side.

Everything seemed to happen at once. Lucy, weak from blood loss, began to crumple, shoving the sword further into her side. A massive pair of talons snatched her limp body from the ground. All of the soldiers began shouting, firing their arrows into the sky, where Lucy was being carried, unconscious, into the night.

The dragon didn't know what made him do it. The human girl hadn't screamed, hadn't cried for help; she did nothing that would have alerted him. And even if she had called for help, why should he care? Dragons, first and foremost, were predators. They preyed on the weak and challenged the strong. But still, the limp form in his claws had some sort of affect on his judgement, which was never very good to begin with.

As the great dragon flew off into the night, he never stopped to think that his life was about to change forever.


	2. The Dragon's lair

**Disclaimer: I don't own fairy tail or any of the fairy tail characters.**

 **Ugh. I'm taking summer biology, so I get two hours of homework. Every Day. So now I have an excuse if I don't update quickly. But I promise it won't be more than two weeks.**

 **Okay, so I will be writing in first person from here on. writing in third person can get boring after a while.**

 **Let me know what you think** **!**

* * *

 **Lucy's POV**

"Hello? Hellooo!" A high pitched, childish voice calls through the darkness. "Hey, girl! Are you okay?"

I groan, exhausted. My eyelids feel glued together, but slowly, I manage to pry them open. Blinking to clear my vision, I find myself staring into the face of a blue, winged...cat?!

I must be hallucinating. Cats can't be blue. They can't fly, either. "Wha...What?"

"Good! You're awake! I thought you were dead. You don't look very good." The cat hovers over my head, happily gulping down a fish. "My name's happy. I'm a cat, obviously. I live here. Oh! Are you hungry? You must be. I'd be _starving_ if I were you. Want a fish? They're _really_ good."

The cat perches on the foot of the bed, staring at me expectantly. I try to process everything, but my brain is swirling with thoughts and images. It doesn't help that the cat talks seventy miles per hour.

 _A cat is talking to me_. I think, leaning my head back against the pillow and closing my eyes. _Yep, I definitely hit my head._

"Hey, girl! Don't go back to sleep again! Don't you want food?" The voice persists.

Right now, all I want to do is go to sleep and never wake up. My bones feel like jelly, my head feels like it's going to fall off. Scrapes and bruises cover my arms and legs.

 _What...what happened_? I think.

Pain blossoms from the small of my back, and from my ribcage. Puzzled, I reach a hand behind me, feeling the dried blood and ragged flesh...

The knife. The soldiers. Blood, everywhere. Flames. The dragon. The thorns.

 _"Are you scared, princess? Because no one is going to hear your scream...the king only said he wanted you back alive."_

I bolt upright. The movement causes the wound under my ribs to break open, spewing fresh blood. I cry out, clutching a hand to my side.

The cat flys to my shoulder. "Take it easy, girl! Don't hurt yourself!"

I double over in the bed, panting. "Where...am...I...?!"

"Oh, wow! That looks like it hurts! Don't worry, though. We'll take you to see Porlyusica! She'll make you better. How did you hurt yourself? If I were you, I'd stay away from sharp objects."

I grit my teeth. This cat...thing...talks too much. "Where am I?"

The cat flys up to do circles over the bed."You're in a castle."

For a moment, I feel fear thudding in my chest. I'm back home? Then, I realize that I've never seen this room before. Could I have been taken hostage by a neighboring kingdom?

"Where?" I gasp, finding it hard to breathe.

"We're in the town of Thorpe. Natsu brought you in last night. You were hurt really bad."

"Natsu? Who's that?"

The cat, I think he said his name was happy, laughs. "Natsu is the dragon that lives here." Seeing the look on my face, he bursts out into more giggles. "Don't worry, he's only a dragon for half of the time. "

I close my eyes again. A fog has entered my mind, making everything fuzzy and distant. "You're...a talking...flying...cat..."

"Aye!"

"A dragon...a dragon..." I shake my head to clear my thoughts. An obnoxious buzzing sound fills my brain, as if a bee crawled into my head while I was asleep. Everything is a jumbled mess. "A dragon...rescued me...But that's impossible..."

"Nope! Natsu transforms into a dragon every now and then, but he can't control it, so he usually stays away from the towns during the day. You'll meet him in a bit, he'll be back any minute now." The cat explains, as if spontaneously transforming into a fire-breathing beast is normal. "But why did he rescue you while he was a dragon?"

I barely register half of what he says, but I find the strength to sit up. I groan in pain when my wounds open wider, They need medical attention, and soon.

I'm still wearing the same ripped, white dress. Well, not really white anymore. By now, it is stained with blood, mud, and ash. My stomach growls loudly. I look down at it, confused, and then it hits me.

I'm starving.

"Food?" I ask, not wanting to bother with full sentences.

The cat perks up at the mention of the word, and his tail swishes cheerfully. "I'll be right back!"

 **Natsu's POV**

"That'll be fifteen jewels, please." The lady at the counter hands me a burlpap sack, giving my oddly colored hair a strange glance.

I dig around in my pockets for a few moments, handing her the money. I wince as dull pain shoots through my bad shoulder. Man, what was I up to last week?

I take the bag, swinging it over my shoulder. "Thanks. Keep the change."

The little bell rings as I push open the heavy oak door, stepping into the blinding sun.

My shoulder complains again. I scowl, wishing I could remember how on earth I had managed to get myself hurt. Everytime I wake up after transforming back into a human, I can never remember what I did as a dragon. It kinda sucks.

The sun beats down on my shoulders. I could easily call a carriage, I am rich, after all. But a train whizzes by, whipping my spiky salmon hair, and I feel sick.

Shouldering my pack, I keep walking. In the distance, casting a long shadow over the valley, is the Dragneel estate. The Dragneel family was once a very esteemed one, and Igneel, my father, was a powerful baron. That is, until he dissapeared. I, his son, was left with the money, the castle, and a lonely life.

I kick a pebble down the long dirt road. It falls to the ground again with a clatter.

During the Great Dragon Purge, when I was seven, my younger sister and father never came home. They were probably taken by the soldiers and executed.

My stomach growls loudly, reminding me that I probably haven't eaten anything decent in a week. My dragon form rarely concerns himself with food.

I'm now at the edge of the town, standing at the giant steps of the mansion. Without hesitation, I climb the stairwell and push open the double doors. "Happy! I'm home!"

I expect a little blue ball of fur to come flying at me, but instead I get no reply. "Happy?"

Puzzled, I walk inside, dropping my satchel on the floor. The entry hall is a cavernous, elaborately decorated room. The Dragneel family emblem hangs from the ceiling. The head of a dragon, surrounded by flames, on a brilliant red background.

"Where is that cat? He's always somewhere around here." I say outloud, loosening my scarf. It was a present from my father, the week before he dissapeared.

I frown. I can smell food cooking somewhere. Is happy actually making something?

"Happy? Are you...cooking?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

The cat looks up from the stove, startled, then flies straight into me, doing his best to give me a hug. "NATSU! You're back!"

"Yeah. Miss me? I brought you something." I reply with a grin.

The cat looks up expectantly. "What is it?"

Chuckling, I pull out a paper wrapped package. "Here you go. Fresh from the market."

Smelling his favorite food, the cat pounces on the package.

I smile. I always bring back a fresh salmon each time I leave, and Happy has never caught on.

I open the doors to the pantry, rummaging throught the contents. I decide on a package of beef jerky.

"Happy? Is there a reason why you're making tomato soup?" I ask, looking over my shoulder. "Last I checked, you hate that stuff."

When Happy doesn't reply, I turn around, ripping a piece of jerky off with my teeth.

The cat's gone. I roll my eyes, sighing. "Where'd he go?"

I step out into the hallway, leaving the jerky on the wooden table. The long stone corridor stretches off in both directions, occasional patches of sunlight drifting in through windows. Torches line the walls, but they haven't been used for years. I haven't really had any need for them.

My footsteps echo off of the cold stone walls, the only sound in this whole castle. I rarely ever use most of it.

The east wing is where my parents once lived, so I hate going there. The west wing is just full of a bunch of extra rooms, old paintings, and long-forgotten passages. Happy and I spend most of our time in the south wing and the courtyard, overlooking the valley. We've got a kitchen, a mess hall, a rec room, even a hot tub.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar smell wafts through the air. My instincts immediatly put me on alert; I don't recognize the scent. Narrowing my eyes, I take a deep breath of air.

Lilac and vanilla. And...something else. I don't know what it is.

Someone is in my castle.

I follow the scent trail, which isn't hard because dragons have a very good sense of smell. It leads me deeper into the south wing, towards the living quarters.

The smell grows stronger near my doorway, and for a moment I think there is someone in my room. But when I open the door, the scent gets weaker. I can't help sighing in relief when I realize that it's coming from the room directly across from mine.

Slowly, carefully, I push open the door, ready to take on the intruder.

What I am met with, however, is completly different.

The first thing that pops into my mind is even more unexpected.

 _Is she a goddess? She's beautiful._

The girl lying on the bed is covered in bruises, her blond hair matted and dirty. She's asleep, maybe eighteen, but how did she end up here? I step into the little room, never taking my eyes off of the sleeping figure.

"Happy?" I call quietly, careful not to wake the girl.

I guess he must've been nearby, because the flying cat rockets through the door five seconds later. "Natsu? Oh! She's asleep. Wow, she sleeps a lot."

I stare at the cat, completly lost. Why is there a strange girl sleeping in my castle? And how did she get so beat up?

"Happy, who is that? Why is she here?" I sit down on the edge of the bed.

The cat just shrugs. "I don't know. You brought her in last night."

I groan. "When I was a dragon?"

He nods. "Yep. You just dropped her off on the steps, and flew away."

"Oh my gosh...So I kidnapped her?"

"Kidnapped? Kidnapped who?" A voice croaks.

Happy and I spin around. The girl's eyes are wide open, and she's propped herself up on two elbows. Fear is shown clearly in both of her brown eyes.

She looks right at me, a mix of defiance and terror. "Who are you?"

 **Lucy's POV**

The dream is pleasant. Gentle music drifts through the ballroom, and I watch couples dancing in the open courtyard.I'm leaning up against the banister on the balcony, overlooking the guests.

"You should join them." A voice tells me. "You are the guest of honor, after all."

I smile, hearing the sound of my mother's kind voice. I don't want to lose the moment.

"They look perfectly happy without me." I tell her, seeing two young people take the floor.

"Oh, Lucy, my dear. You are a princess. They need to see you." She puts her elegant hand on my shoulder. "It's your birthday. This is for you."

"I know, mother." I fold my hands behind my back. I'm a princess. I'm a princess. All I've ever known.

"Dear, try to lighten up. Just one night, and then we can do whatever you like." She smiles warmly. "You know, when I was your age, I would sneak sleeping potions into the bonbons for entertainment."

I laugh, savoring the memory. "Is that a suggestion?"

She gives me a wink. "Just try not to have too much fun. Your father wouldn't stand for that."

I giggle, covering my mouth to appear more ladylike. "No, we can't have that, can we?"

Another voice enters the dream."..brought her in last night..."

I cock my head, wondering where the voices are coming from. "..I was a dragon?"

One of the voices is one I've heard before, I'm sure of it. High pitched and childish. Why does it make me think of wings and blue fur?

"...Dropped her...flew away..."

I can feel the dream world fading as reality starts to wash over me again. I cling to the memory with all my might, trying to stay with my mother.

"...I kidnapped her..."

Wait, what? My mind snaps awake. Who's been kidnapped? I feel fear well in my chest. Kidnapped?

I open my eyes, panicked. Before I can stop them, my lips form words. "Kidnapped? Kidnapped who?"

Both the figures in the room look at me abruptly. What if they're going to ransom me off?

"Who are you?" I gasp, wincing at the sudden pain. I make eye contact with the newcomer, seeing that he's just as surprised as me.

He opens his mouth, closes it, and opens again, but no words come out. He looks so flustered; it's hard to think of him as a kidnapper. Nevertheless, I grip the blankets fiercely, wary of the young man sitting on the bed.

"Hey! You're awake! Finally. You've been asleep for hours!" Happy says, completly oblivious to the tension in the air.

"Who are you?" I ask again. "Why am I here? If you want a ransom, forget it. My father doesn't care about me."

It's a bluff. If this man tells my father I'm here, he'll get a massive reward-and I get taken back to the Capitol to await my punishment.

He sighs in exasperation, running a hand through his hair. I give him my best glare as he sits back down.

"Okay, calm down, no one's been kidnapped. We're not holding you for ransom. Actually, I don't even know what's going on." He says quietly, looking more concerned than anything. "I'm Natsu Dragneel. I live here with Happy."

Natsu? Didn't Happy mention him earlier

"You're Natsu? Aren't you supposed to be a dragon?" I ask, curiosity outweighing fear.

Natsu's head snaps up, but the seething glare in his eyes isn't directed towards me. "Happy! You _told_ her?"

The cat instantly dove under the blankets. "Oops.." A small voice whimpers from under th covers.

"That stupid cat..." He mutters, looking at me with an unreadable expression. "Please, you can't tell anyone. I don't want any trouble."

"I know." I say, remembering the law my father passed regarding dragons and half-breeds. Can I trust him? Do I tell him the truth?

"What happened? How did you get here?" He asks.

"You mean you don't know?" I wrap the blankets closer around me.

He shakes his head. "I can't remember anything."

I shut my eyes. "I was running from some men. A dragon...I guess that was you, wasn't it? You came, burnt everyone to a crisp, grabbed me...and, well, here I am."

"You were runnning from who?"

I bite my lip. Do I tell him? "Just...some people who were after me. It doesn't matter."

Years ago, after my mother died, my father issued a new decree, stating that all dragons be hunted down and killed. I can still remember seeing the men and women, all half-dragons, lined up and slaughtered in the courtyard. From that day forward, my father was never the same man. I assumed all the dragons had been killed, but I guess Natsu avoided the soldiers.

"Okay, fair enough. We all have our secrets." He shrugs. "What's your name? We can't keep calling you 'girl' all the time."

"I...I'm Lucy." I say. What I don't tell him is that I am Lucy Hearfilia, second in line to the throne of Fiore.

"Just Lucy? Alright. Well, Lucy, we'd better get going if we're going to make it to Porlyusica by nightfall." He grins, extending a hand to help me up.

"Huh? What? Why? Who's Porlyusica?"

He laughs again, showing off pointed canines. "Someone's gotta patch you up! Besides, if you're gonna stay here, you can't lie around in bed all day."

"Stay..here? But I-"

"Come on. It's not like you have anywhere else to go!" He says, helping me up. I try not to whimper when my ribs start to spout more blood.

Despite my protests, Natsu puts my arm over his shoulders, careful to avoid touching any broken bones.

I try to stand on my own, but I just can't do it. Reluctantly, I allow Natsu to take most of my weight.

Can I trust him? I don't know. But I'm willing to try. Because we're both against the law. Because the King has declared war against us. And when we're fighting for our lives, we need allies.

And no matter what, I won't let my father win.

* * *

 **Okay, this took longer than I thought. Summer school sucks. Two hours of homework every night? Fun stuff. A whole week of high school Biology crammed into one day? Sounds great!**

 **So there is absolutely no way I can update during the school week until August. I promise I will devote my weekends to updating.**

 **So what did you think? I hope nobody's confused. Just to clarify in case you didn't catch it, Natsu can't remember what he did while he was in dragon form. Dragons are outlawed, so the king will be pretty angry when he hears about this dragon that stole his daughter...watch out, Natsu!**

 **I couldn't help adding a tiny bit of Nalu towards the end. No self control. I know there are a ton of different versions of what Lucy smells like, so I just picked my favorite Febreeze scent, Lilac and vanilla. Actually, I think it was Lavender and Vanilla...Oh well.**

 **(I know, I know. I'm a geek.)**


	3. Porlyusica

H **ey again! Man, this week has been so busy! I've never worked so hard in my life!**

 **So, finally, it's the weekend! That word has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Weekend means I have NO SCHOOL! I can finally get the next chapters of Lucy Heartfilia is Dead and Dragon's Blood finished! I have also developed a whole new appreciation for writers who publish more than once a week. Seriously, how is that possible?**

 **I am so dissappointed in Funimation. I waited a whole month for June 30, (the release date for episode 176 dubbed,) and they freaking pushed it back to AUGUST 11! I've thought about watching the subs, (I watch all my other animes in sub, so why not?) But it just isn't the same. Once you watch a show in one form, you can't switch. So keep in mind, I haven't passed the whole Dragon king arc yet. Since this is an AU, though, it shouldn't matter.**

 **I'm done complaining now. Let's meet Porlyusica! On with the Story!**

 **Lucy's POV**

The castle is huge. Not nearly as big as my own palace, but big enough to get lost in. I loose track of all the rooms and corridors we pass. Happy flies on ahead.

I'm losing blood, which makes me feel exhausted. My vision is so blurry that I can barely see the bricks in the walls.

Natsu is silent, seemingly withdrawn into his own thoughts. He half-carries me further down into the castle, which gets darker and darker the lower we get.

I can barely think through the odd haze surrounding my head. Everything is spinning out of control. My dress is soaked - funny, I don't remember getting wet.

Finally, we reach a dead end. I absentmindedly wonder why he brought us to a wall, but then the dragon half-breed sets me down on the stone floor. I start shivering immediately, curling into a ball. It's so cold!

For a moment, I think I see fire, but that's impossible. I must be going insane. Before I am fully aware of what's happening, I feel my mind slip into unconsciousness.

 **Natsu's POV**

I press my hand up to the wall, setting fire to the Dragneel emblem. A moment later, the wall slides away to reveal a long, dark passageway.

I step back, letting Happy fly on ahead. I crouch down next to Lucy's sleeping form, placing a hand on her forehead. She's burning up with a high fever.

I don't know very much about human medicine, but I doubt that a fever like that is a good thing. She's shivering violently, clenching her fists.

Scooping her up in my arms, I hurry through the door. It shuts as soon as I enter the passageway. I light each torch as we pass, awkwardly shifting Lucy's weight to one arm and reaching for the torches with the other. The underground tunnels link the Dragneel Castle to several different locations; They form a maze that is nearly impossible to navigate. This tunnel leads directly to the home of Porlyusica, a healer well-known among dragon-folk.

The girl in my arms doesn't stop shivering the whole way. I'm curious about who she is, where she came from, and why people are chasing her. But since she won't tell me very much, I guess I'll have to earn her trust first.

There's also the matter of whether or not I can trust her. If she decides to turn me in for a reward, I'll be executed, and my cousins might very well be discovered. And then there's always the possibility that the soldiers will figure out my connections to the underground mage alliances. I've risked a lot by helping this girl.

The passage splits into two tunnels; I go left. A few minutes later, I take the middle door of three options. My father made sure I memorized every route to every location.

Finally, I see a light up ahead. I step out into the open air. A weather-worn path stretches out in front of us, leading off into the distance. The tunnel is pitch black behind me; untouched by the sun's rays.

"Almost there." I mutter softly, shifting Lucy's weight onto my shoulders. " Just hang on."

Happy soars overhead, his white wings carrying him on the wind. I keep my eyes down on the ground to avoid the blazing sun.

Less than fifty yards from the tunnel entrance, we arrive at a small cottage, patched up in several places. Herbs and laundry hang from a clothesline, blowing gently in the wind. Porlyusica's home is well-hidden from the king's soldiers, and she has become a healer for surviving dragon-folk and mages. Anyone who has been outlawed by the crown can come to Porlyusica for help.

I kick the stout wooden door open, turning sideways to keep Lucy's head from hitting the doorframe. I wince when a drop of blood hits my hand, reminding me that the girl has already lost a lot of blood.

"Porlyusica! We need help, now!" I call into the earthy cottage. Setting Lucy down on the table, I look around. "Porlyusica? It's an emergency!"

A few seconds pass, marked by the ticking of a little clock on the hearth. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with every kind of magic book ever written. On the far right is a foul-smelling cabinet, which stores herbs and remedies.

"Just a minute! I'm busy!" An voice calls down from the second floor. I've known Porlyusica since I was just a kid. She and my parents were old friends.

Footsteps sound on the wooden stairs. I turn, seeing the pink-haired healer emerge from the staircase.

"Well, what is it, boy? You're still alive, so it can't be an emergency." Her voice is aged, strained with time, but I can hear the mix of disguised affection and outright annoyance. She folds her arms, looking me over.

"It's not me, Porlyusica. This girl needs help." I say.

Her frown doesn't budge, but I can see her eyes soften at the sight of Lucy. "A girl? Didn't we discuss this already?"

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Look, can you help her? She's hurt."

Porlyusica pulls up an old wooden stool, sitting down beside Lucy's unconscious form. "Of course I can help her, you oaf. Who is she and why is she with you?"

"Her name is Lucy. I don't know any more than that, except she's trying to hide from some people. She didn't have anywhere else to go." I mutter, leaving out the part about me rescuing/kidnapping her.

She nods, feeling Lucy's pulse. The old healer frowns deeper. "She's weak, probably dehydrated too."

I stay silent as Porlyusica mixes a concoction of herbs and oils. She mutters a few things to herself, focusing on the mortar and pestle.

Porlyusica probes Lucy's ribs, and the blonde cries out softly. The healer rips a strip of cloth away from the area, revealing an ugly black, blue, and bloodied wound. She hisses at the sight.

"Not good..." She says. "Why did you carry her all the way out here in this condition, you idiot? Do you ever think?"

"What did you expect me to do? I can't take her to a human doctor." I clench my fists.

"Maybe so, but you could be more gentle. I thought you learned your lesson." She retorts. "Humans are more delicate than dragon-folk."

"I know! Stop bringing it up. That was five years ago." I feel my voice rising, catching in my throat. Porlyusica gives me a knowing look.

"Be careful, Natsu. You're power can be used to protect, or to destroy. Don't let yourself lose control."

"I told you, I'm fine. I can handle myself." I growl. It seems like everything bad that has ever happened to me - My family's dissapearance, Lissana's death, the outlawing of magic - has been the fault of King Jude Heartfilia. The current ruling family ruined my life; by stealing everything I stand for. But I'm not about to let my emotions get the better of me.

"If you insist. Now, go fetch me some water, boy." She commands.

Grumbling, I grab a bucket and head outside.

 **Lucy's POV**

I take a sip of the bitter tea in my hands, enjoying the gentle breeze drifting through the window. My bandages hold fast, doing their duty well. Although every part of me still aches, I feel revived. Porlyusica says it's the nasty Lionroot tea I have to drink.

I run a hand through my clean, combed hair, appreciating the silky feel of newly washed locks. I was able to bathe and change clothes, which is a welcome change from my old, tattered white dress and grimy hands.

Porlyusica's attic is neat and tidy, a sharp contrast to the dusty, earthen house. I've been resting up here for three days, but the cynical healer wants me out of here as soon as possible. Natsu says I can stay with him and Happy, which is a little weird, but I think he somehow knows that I have absolutely nowhere to go. My father's men will be searching every village, town, and city for me.

"Feeling better?" Porlyusica walks in, setting a tray filled with food on the quilt-covered bed.

I smile politely. "Yes, thank you very much."

She grunts, shooting me a wary look. "Eat. The sooner you heal, the sooner I have you out of my hair."

At that, I simply nod my head. According to Happy, Porlyusica hates everyone, so I shouldn't take it personally. I secretly think she cares, she just hides it under a false facade.

I gulp down a biscuit, some green beans, and a small portion of mashed potatoes. It's nothing compared to the feasts at the palace, but I'm not feeling very hungry anyway. For just a second, I wonder if I made the right decision. If I had obeyed my father and married the Duke of Cambridge, would things be any better?

"Can you stand?" Porlyusica asks when I'm finished.

"Yes."

"Then get up." She commands.

I obey, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My knees wobble a bit, but I manage to find my balance.

"Good. If you can walk, you should be fine. Follow me."

Curious, I slowly make my way down the steep set of stairs. Porlyusica waits at the bottom, watching me carefully. "Does it hurt?"

I almost laugh, but catch myself. "Everywhere."

She frowns, unamused. "Let me rephrase that. Is there anything painful enough to make you wish you were dead?"

I think about it, looking up at the cobweb-covered ceiling. "No, nothing extreme."

"Good. Natsu will be here soon; you'll go with him." She states.

I look up. "Already? Don't you think..."

"You don't need my care anymore. You'll be perfectly safe with Natsu."

Clearing my throat, I wonder whether I should trust them or not. These people, Natsu, Happy, Porlyisica, seem to genuinely want to help me, though I have no idea why. I don't mind having people to rely on, but it just all seems to weird.

"If you're going to stay with Natsu, there are a few things you need to know." The healer says.

"Hm? Like what?" I'm starting to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"First: Natsu gets very protective of his close friends. He doesn't think rationally if one them is in trouble. He'll get destructive, for both himself and others, if it means protecting a loved one." She says slowly.

I wriggle my toes in the soft grass. "And you're telling me this because...?"

"I know how he can get. I want you to promise me something."

The sun's rays pierce through the leaves , dancng playfully with the little ripples in the nearby brook. A lark sings in the willow tree. It's a perfect day, the kind I never got to experience as a princess. I don't want to think about promises right now. Still, how hard can a promise be?

"Sure, what is it?" I reply asentmindedly.

"I want you to stay away from him. Don't get to close. You'll only end up hurting the both of you." She states.

I shrug. "Wasn't really planning on it."

"Second: For your own good, be especially careful to steer clear of his dragon form." She says.

"Okay...so stay away from him in general?" I say, confused.

"Yes. It's for the best. " She confirms. "Your highness."

My heart jumps into my throat. Did I just hear her right? That's impossible. I haven't told her, Natsu, or Happy anything.

"Wh-what? What are you talking about?" I stutter.

She smirks. "Save the act. I recognized you the moment Natsu brought you into my kitchen."

"But how?"

"I knew your mother, Queen Layla. We were close. I delivered you and your brother. You're almost an exact replica of her." She explains, getting a far away look in her eyes.

"Oh." I say quietly. "Please, don't tell anyone. I can't let them find me."

She smiles ever so slightly. "I owe a debt to the former queen. For her sake, I will keep your secret."

I breath a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you. Thank you...for everything."

The corner of her mouth twitches. "Don't thank me. Just make sure I don't regret helping you."

"Of course. I appreciate it." I nod hastily.

The healer only grunts in response. We sit in silence for a while, enjoying the late morning sun. I fold my hands, unfold them, and refold them. Everything that's happened in the past week has all been so sudden, it's like I'm not even in control of my own life.

"I don't know why you're doing this. Why you helped me, or why Natsu helped me. I can't give anything back." I say quietly.

Porlyusica's expression doesn't change. Her eyes stay focused on the butterfly fluttering past. "You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Plenty of people have taken refuge at the Dragneel estate."

I swallow hard. "You've all done enough for me. I'll be fine on my own."

She snorts, almost amused. "Lucy, if you try to strike out on your own, I will tie you down. It's my policy. If you'll get yourself killed or captured, you're not allowed to do it." Seeing my expression, she raises her eyebrow. "Don't believe me? Just ask Natsu."

I believe her wholeheartedly. "Isn't that a bit much?"

"Sometimes you have to do what needs to be done, even if it's hard." She replies. "It's harsh, I know, but I'm not here to be your friend. I'm here to make sure you stay alive."

A leaf drifts down from the trees, landing softly on the surface of the water. I blink, realizing that Porlyusica must've ruined dozens of friendships that way. She must really care about her patients if she's willing to take that risk to save a life.

It must be a lonely life.

 **Natsu's POV**

 _"Children, listen to me. I know you're scared. I know you're both confused, but you need to trust me. Things are going to get harder from now on." My father had gathered both me and my sister in front of the hearth. I was no older than ten, and my sister was just beginning to control her dragon form. It was something every dragon learned eventually, but it had to be taught by a parent. "You must hide your dragon forms. No one can know that you aren't human, or you will be taken away by the soldiers."_

 _I was huddled on the rug, staring at my father with wide eyes. "Like mother?"_

 _My sister shot me a burning look; something all dragneels were experts at._

 _However, Igneel simply nodded. "Like your mother. But you must promise me this:" He leaned forward, looking us in the eyes. "I don't know what lies ahead. But no matter what, promise you will keep the fire going. Don't let the Dragon-folk die out. Protect anyone who needs protection, be they dragon, mage, or ordinary citizen. I would be ashamed of my family if they abandoned their code of honor."_

 _My older sister gripped her pillow. "What are you saying, Dad? Nothing's gonna happen to us. We'll be fine. We - We'll stay together. You're talking like this is the end!"_

 _"Do you promise?" My father asked quietly._

 _My sister hesitated. "Yes. But you're not going anywhere! We're not getting seperated again!"_

 _My father closed his eyes. "Natsu?"_

 _"I promise, Father." I said, feeling tears falling from my chin. It was hard enough to lose my mother and brothers, I never wanted to lose another family member._

 _The next day, my father and sister never came home._

After the Great Dragon Purge, King Jude issued another decree: all magic guilds were to be disbanded, and the mages were either imprisoned or forced into military service. I was all alone, scared, but I remembered my promise to protect. So when a shivering, soaked young boy arrived at my doorstep, I let him stay with me. It turned out that he was an ice-make wizard, who was running from the police. We became friends. He stayed for a year, during which another young mage took refuge with us; a redheaded girl called Erza Scarlett. They both left to become palace guards, hoping to help other mages by disguising their true identity.

That was the start of an undercover operation to hide mages and dragons. Porlyusica always helped, tending to injuries and sending people to me. Most of the people that I helped went to Magnolia, where a secret resistance known as Fairy Tail was located.

It's been five years since I last hid someone. Erza, Gray, MiraJane, they've all kept in touch. But no one but Happy and I have lived in this castle since then.

For a moment, I wonder if it's wise to get back into the business. But I shove the thought aside, remembering that it's my fault she's here. Lucy is my responsibility, and I have a promise to fulfill.

I keep telling myself that as I step through the tunnel opening. Squinting in the sun, my feet carry me down the hill to Porlyusica's cottage. There's Porlyusica, and sitting next to her is Lucy. She's healed up well, apparently. Her old, ripped white dress is gone, replaced by a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

"Hey, Porlyusica! Lucy! We're here!" I call. Happy swoops down to land next to the blonde.

"Hi Lucy! Are you better now?" The cat says, cheerfully munching a fish.

She smiles. "I guess so."

Porlyusica stares me down with her stone-cold eyes, sending me a clear message: Screw this up and you're dead. "Lucy will most likely need to lie low for six months or more. I'll let you know when it's safe for her to leave."

I nod. Porlyusica was always the one to make decisions. But Lucy is what, nineteen? She can make decisions for herself.

"Lucy, I don't know what things are going to be like. If you're lucky, everyone will assume that you're dead." The healer states. "If that happens, you'll just need to be careful."

"I understand. Thank you for everything, Porlyusica." Lucy says politely.

"Take care of yourself, Lucy. And remember what I said."Porlyusica replies.

I briefly wonder what she's talking about, but I figure it was something to do with not going outside or staying away from police.

"You ready?" I ask her. The girl nods.

She follows me and Happy down the dark passageway. "It's so dark! Where are we going?"

"You don't remember? This is the way to my castle." I say, raising an eyebrow.

"I was unconscious." She points out.

"Oh, that's right. In that case," I light my hand on fire, illuminating the corridor and enjoying the expression on Lucy's face.

"H - how? Okay, your hand is on fire!" She gasps.

I feel a laugh burst from my mouth. "I'm a dragon, remember? I'm immune to fire!"

"I thought you could only do that in dragon form!" She says, still shocked.

I smile. "You can't believe everything they tell you in school."

"No, I guess not." She returns the smile. "I don't think I told you how much of a mess I'd be in if it weren't for you. So thanks. For everything."

I blink, letting it sink in. Once again, curiosity takes hold. Who was she running from?

I guess I'll have to earn her trust first.

 **Phew! I FINISHED CHAPTER THREE! YAAYYY! I'm throwing a party in my room. Part of the reason it took two weeks was because I started and finished Attack on Titan this week! I honestly never thought I would watch it, but now I see why everyone loved it. It's my new second-favorite show. Sorry, Sword Art Online, you just got bumped down to third. *sighs* Still waiting for season two of Fairy Tail...and now AOT as well.**

 **But guys, I am so proud of myself for finishing this. I was stuck.**

 **Oh, also? I AM OUT OF ANIME SHOWS TO WATCH! Reccomendations?**


	4. The palace

**Hey guys! Guess who's back from the dead! I can't believe it's been so long since I updated—Probably more than half of you completely forgot about this story. But I keep getting requests to update and I'm feeling inspired by my recent anime binge watching, so here goes! SO sorry it took so long, I for one HATE it when authors abandon stories, so I'm being a complete hypocrite. BTWs thanks to everybody who left anime suggestions in the reviews, I love you guys!**

If the King ever showed remorse for his daughter's kidnapping, I've never seen it. The news came to us a week ago: Princess Lucy Heartfilia, heir to the throne of Fiore, had been kidnapped by a fearsome dragon. Come to think of it, the only emotion the King ever showed was anger—at the fact that there was still a dragon left alive, not because his daughter was gone.

I stand at my post in the forsaken hallways; there aren't very many soldiers at the palace right now. His majesty has ordered every unnecessary soldier to search for the princess and her kidnapper. Being the captain of the guard, Erza has been sent to the front, so we haven't talked about our course of action yet. As soon as I heard about the kidnapping, I tried to take a leave of absence to go bash Natsu's brains in. But fortunately for him, I was needed at the palace.

I let out a heavy sigh. The moonlight shines through the windows, and I can only think of how I should be back home, in bed.

"Captain Fullbuster! Come check this out." I hear a voice from around the corner.

"What?" I say lazily as I round the corner.

"It's the princess's diary, sir. I found it hidden in a plant." The guard is Patrick, a recruit fresh from the academy. He can't be any older than seventeen.

I scowl. "And what am I supposed to do with a lady's private diary?"

His cheeks flush a bit, and he looks down at his shiny boots, embarrassed.

Taking the diary and putting it in my back pocket, I give him a light punch in the shoulder. "Use your head, private. Reading a princess's thoughts about corsets, dukes, and romance isn't in our job description."

"I-I'm sorry sir. I'll remember that next time." He stammers.

"Don't worry too much, Patrick. This is only your third week. You'll get the hang of it."

He nods and returns to his post. I reach into my pocket and pull out the diary. It is leather bound, and well used, the words _For Lucy_ are written in gold font across the front. I resist the childish urge to open it and take a peek, and I return it to its place in my pocket, making a mental note to give it to the prince as soon as possible.

Suddenly, I hear shouting. "I DON'T CARE! YOU'LL DO EXACTLY AS I SAY AND YOU CAN GO TO HELL DOING IT!"

A crash and a loud SMACK, and a disheveled officer stumbles out of the throne room, clutching his cheek. I meet his eyes, which are frightened and a little bit indignant. I give him a sympathetic shrug; we all know what angering the King can mean.

The doors open and close again, and out comes the Prince, looking angry. I automatically stand at attention, and so does the unfortunate officer.

"I must apologize for my father's actions. You did what you could, and we require nothing more." He smiles slightly, charming even in his frustration. "Frankly, the King has grown infuriated that his armies failed to wipe out dragon kind. But that gives him no right to hit an officer."

"FIND THAT WENCH!" The shouts are followed by another crash, which sounds suspiciously like a vase being broken.

The prince winces. "Here, take this. I hope it will be sufficient." He retrieves a pouch of silver coins.

The officer blanches. "Oh, your highness, that isn't necessary. I can't take money!"

"Consider it a gift. For your service." The young prince gives a slight nod of his head, and turns back toward the throne room.

I clear my throat hastily. "Your Highness."

He pauses to face me. "Yes?"

I reach into my pocket and retrieve the diary. "This was found on the castle grounds, my lord. It belonged to our princess. I thought it would be best in your hands."

His face darkens as he takes the small leather bound book from my hands, as if he is concealing a great deal of pain under his princely stature. For a moment, he stares at the book, and I wonder if he will be angry with me.

He meets my eyes with a strange expression, grief and loneliness barely concealed in his blue eyes. He recovers himself and stands erect. "Thank you, officer. This will hopefully aid us in the search for my sister."

I pause, wondering how to respond. It is not my place to speak of such matters with the prince. "We will find her, your highness."

A ghost of a smile crosses his face. "I appreciate your faith. Without the princess, the people are becoming restless. But I'm afraid she may not want to return."

"…Why not?" I immediately bite my tongue. Asking such questions is discouraged.

"Let's just say the princess…..Oh, I've said too much. Very sensitive family business, you see. My father would have my head if he heard me." He cracks a grin. "But I promise you this: Fiore will be at peace once more in due time."

I understand what he means right away: soon the King will be dead and he will take his place as ruler, making a much better King than his insane father. And I hope that when Prince Malachi is King, Wizards and dragons will once again roam the nation freely. I think of my friends in Magnolia, sitting in their secret guild meetings, counting on me and Erza to send news from the Capitol. Waiting for the news that they no longer need to hide from the army. Waiting for a better future. For us, for the kingdom, for our children and their children.

"I look forward to it." I say in reply. As I watch him walk back into the throne room, I feel hope swell in my chest. Maybe Prince Malachi will be the one to make the change.

* * *

 **Lucy's POV**

The smell of perfume and clean linens washes out from the closet the second I open the giant oak doors. I let out a gasp when I see what's inside: skirts, blouses, and dresses in every fabric and color imaginable. With a sigh of happiness I run my hands over the silks and cottons, feeling a little bit more normal and not so homesick. I pull out a dress; a simple blue thing that has long, flowing sleeves. Excited, I look through more dresses, finding a gorgeous scarlet ball gown with draping silk and fiery accents. The question enters my mind; why on earth does Natsu have a bunch of girl's clothing? But I dismiss it and continue admiring the white taffeta empire-waist on a floor-length dress.

I shut the wardrobe, looking around the room. It's fairly large, with a four-poster bed with a large chest at the end that I have yet to look through. I've spent the afternoon exploring the castle, which is so big that I honestly have no clue how to get back to my own room. So far, I've discovered a sauna, with a whole pool to go with it, a whole lot of bedrooms, most of which were bare, and an expansive main hall decked out with torches and a scary bearskin rug. I think I've made my way to the north wing of the castle, but I'm really not sure.

Outside, the sun is going down, dousing the whole room in dim light. It's barely enough to see by; at this moment it would be great to have Natsu around as a torch, but he said he and Happy had to go somewhere, some town called Magnolia. I decide that I need to start finding my way back, but first I walk over to the bed and open the trunk at its foot. The hinges are old and rusted—it must not have been opened in years. With a poof of dust and a loud creak, I pry the lid off.

Coughing from the dust and the smell of mothballs, I stare in wonder at the enclosed contents. Inside the chest are two separate outfits: the first one is an ornate set of silver armor, inlaid with jewels and with an elaborate headpiece. I recognize it as a ceremonial suit, meant for nobility. What kind of young woman once lived here that would own such an ornate thing? The second outfit is obviously meant for real combat. It's a simple set of leather armor and practical clothing, plus a pair of tall combat boots.

Underneath the gear, something glints in the fading light, catching my eye. I reach down and wrap my hand around it, pulling the object free from underneath the heavy armor. I gasp aloud, because in my hand is a tiny glass fairy on a necklace, spreading her wings as if she is actually flying through the air. The delicate wings springing from her shoulders shimmer with a thousand colors, as if someone captured the entire color spectrum in her glass wings. Clutching the treasure in one hand, I shut the chest.

 _I should find my way back_ , I think to myself. _It's gotten so dark._

The final rays of the sun glance off of the necklace, just as I find my way into the hallway. In a split second, they are gone and I am submerged in darkness.

"Well, Crap." I say out loud. My feet carry me in the direction I _think_ I came from, though it's impossible to tell in the dark.

I make a right turn somewhere along the way. _How does anyone ever find anything in this place?_

Finally, I admit to myself that I am completely, hopelessly lost, and it's impossible to do anything until morning. I find a spare bedroom and feel my way over to the bed, which smells distinctly of sage and lemon. Crawling into the bed, exhausted, I let sleep take over.

 **Thanks for reading! I'll try and release another chapter soon, instead of after the next six months. Feedback and reviews are always appreciated!**


	5. A summer night

Chapter 5

 **Okay…*deep breath* chapter 5. Umm…I've been resurrecting this story because I forgot like half of the plot that I originally had, oh well. You guys are amazing, thanks so much for all the reviews and follows! I'm really excited for this because I have plotting out my evil plans for Natsu and Lucy. I apologize in advance, because I was crying when I wrote out the outline for a certain chapter.**

 **I just started watching RWBY….It's not really an anime but everyone calls it one even though it's American. Haven't decided whether I like it or not, but I may or may not write some fanfic for that if I decide that I do like it.**

 **Kay, here we go.**

 **Lucy's POV**

"Lucy! Where are you? Hellooo!" I look up from seat in the window, hearing the sound of the great doors slamming shut. I guess Natsu and Happy are back.

Shutting my book with a sigh, because I was at the best part, I walk out into the hall and down the staircase into the entry hall. This morning, I did some more exploring, so I have a better sense of the castle's layout than I did last night.

"Good Morning!" Natsu greets me, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, look who's awfully cheerful today." I say with a light smile.

I woke up this morning, and immediately put on a light pink sundress from the mystery closet that I found the night before. It was a relief to know that there was a supply of girl's clothing in the building, because I doubt Natsu would have considered my lack of belongings.

"That's because the Summer Festival is today! There'll be food and games and food!" Happy says happily. ( **A/N- do you guys see what I did there?** )

"AND tonight, we'll have bonfires and dancing and fireworks. It's the biggest event of the year!" Natsu adds.

"Does everything involve fire for you?" I tease.

Happy flies up into the air and plops down on Natsu's head."Yup. Pretty much everything."

"That's great! I hope you guys have fun." I smile, even though I was secretly hoping they wouldn't go anywhere so that I wouldn't have to be alone all day long.

Natsu's smile widens. "You're coming too! You can't just _miss_ the Summer Festival."

"Umm…"I blink several times. How do I put this? "Natsu…I don't think that's the best idea. I'll just stay here and you guys go have fun."

"That's dumb. You have to come, it's the biggest thing of the year." Happy frowns from his perch on Natsu's head.

"No, you don't get it. If someone recognizes me, I'll get you both in big trouble."

Natsu's smile falls away. "Oh. You're right."

I feel relief wash over me, glad Natsu understands.

"But that's okay! You can just wear a disguise." He perks up.

"Natsu, I don't think…"

"Come on! We'll find you a fake mustache or something." He grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs. He stops at the first closet and goes though several shelves before triumphantly retrieving a piece of black cloth. "You can wear this!"

I look at the cloth skeptically. "Umm…What _is_ that?"

He laughs. "It's a ninja mask! Best disguise in the book!"

I exchange a look with Happy. "No." We say in unison.

"Okay, how about this?" He pulls out a pirate eyepatch.

"No."

"A pumpkin head?"

"Absolutely not."

"A Darth Vader mask?"

"What's a Darth Vader?"

"I dunno, some evil dude from another dimension."

"This isn't dress up."

He lets out a sigh, running a hand through his pink hair. "Okay, how about a big floppy hat?"

I shrug. "It's better than the pumpkin head."

He hands me a big straw hat, which shades half of my face when I put it on.

"There. Perfect." He grins, showing off a set of sharp canines.

I laugh. "Where in Earthland did you get a pumpkin head?"

"I stole it from some crazy short dude."

"Natsu, that's illegal."

He winks. "Well, he was really crazy, so it's not really stealing."

* * *

I take a big whiff of the air around me. The scent of flowers drifts lazily through the air, mingling with the smells of fried chicken and fresh bread. All around me are people, and I keep thinking that someone will see me and shout, "Look, there's the princess!" or "Hey, isn't that Princess Lucy, the one who was kidnapped?" But no one pays me any attention, and after an hour of glancing behind my shoulder, thinking someone will recognize me, I begin to relax and enjoy myself.

I've rarely been outside of the palace walls since my mother passed away, so I can't remember the last time I went to a festival. The whole town is decorated for the event, and with the warm sun on my back, it's easy to feel excited about the whole thing. I watch as a florist sets out gorgeous floral displays in her storefront window; stunning bouquets of lilac, daisy, rose, and foxglove. She notices me watching and flashes a friendly smile, waving from behind her vase of lilies. I smile tentatively. I'm not used to common folk being so friendly; all my life, people have treated me with excessive respect, as if I wasn't even human.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouts. He and Happy are waiting for me further up the street.

When I catch up, Natsu flashes a smile. "We're gonna show you the whole town! There's a pizza place on 12th street that makes the best pizza in Fiore. People come from all over to eat our pizza."

"What's pizza?" I ask.

Both of them stop walking, staring at me with equally horrified and shocked expressions. "You've never had pizza?"

I look from Happy to Natsu, confused. "No, I've…never had it. Is…that bad?"

"Oh no! Natsu, we've got to get to 12th street right now! There's not a minute to loose!" Happy cries.

"Right! Come on, Lucy!" Natsu grabs my hand and pulls me through the crowd.

"Wait! What? Why are we going there now? It's not even time for lunch yet!" I protest as I am dragged through the street.

A half hour later, the three of us are sitting at an outdoor table, with full bellies and glasses of lemonade.

"That was the best thing I've ever tasted." I say contentedly. I finished three pieces of the stuff.

"Does anyone want the last piece? Cause if not…" Natsu eyes the one remaining slice of pizza.

"Take it. I'm stuffed." I tell him. Without another moment's hesitation, he snatches it up and gulps it down in a few bites.

"How could you have never tried pizza? That's insane!" He says between bites.

I squirm in my seat a little. My father believed that as royals, we had to eat like it every day. So 'commoner's food' was beneath our status. "My…uh, my parents were…vegan. They never let me eat much meat."

Happy faints.

Natsu picks up the cat from the ground, where he landed. "Man, that sucks. Speaking of which, where are your parents? Have you told them you're in trouble?"

I clear my throat, squirming uncomfortably. "Um, well, my mom died when I was younger, and, well, my dad's still alive."

"Can't he help you?" Natsu says, confused.

"No, he can't." I change the subject fast. "What about your family? Where are they?"

He shrugs, taking a sip of his lemonade. "They're all dead or missing, which I guess mean pretty much the same thing. Thanks to our benevolent royal family."

I feel a knot start to form in my stomach. What if he knew who I really was? A member of the same royal family who ruined his own?

"I'm sorry." I tell him quietly, because what else _can_ you say to someone who's family was destroyed by your father? "It was an evil thing he did, the King. He took the lives of so many innocent people."

Natsu shrugs again. "It's okay. It was a long time ago. But I promise you this: If I ever get the chance, you can bet I'll barbeque the bastard."

"What a lovely thought."

We continue to tour the city, and Natsu shows me all the major landmarks: the beach, the plaza, the town hall, and the Library, which I'm especially excited about. There are more shops selling more things than I can count; bakeries, tailors, fruit vendors, artists, even tiny little monkeys that dig through your pockets and pee on anyone who makes them mad. Standing at that particular stand, I befriend an adorable little monkey, who chatters politely at me, then leaps from my shoulder to Natsu's and proceeds to bite his ear.

"Ow! OwOwOwOwOwOOOOWww! Let go, you little runt!" He shouts, spinning in circles to dislodge the little creature.

I keel over laughing, and so does Happy.

"I guess he likes you!" The cat giggles.

Finally rid of the fiend, who has returned to my shoulder grinning innocently, Natsu rubs his swollen ear. "Not funny. I think I'll stick with cats, thank you very much."

The monkey sticks his tongue out at Natsu, and the pink-haired dragon returns the immature gesture. I can't help but let out another barrage of giggles.

"It's so not funny! That little imp tried to kill me!" He protests, though he's starting to crack a smile.

"No..(giggle)…that wasn't (giggle) funny…BWAHAHA…that was hilarious!" I manage, wiping a tear from my eye.

"Natsu you look so silly!" Happy says.

We say goodbye to the monkey, who cackles and spits on Natsu. It is all I can do to prevent him from strangling the creature,(I remind him that he would have to pay for it,)and we move on to check out the fire-breathers.

The five men swallow fire from their torches, and other daring stuff involving fire. I gasp in amazement when one man dances across hot coals, but when I look to see Natsu's reaction, he's just standing there, with Happy on his head, looking mildly amused.

"Oh. That's right, I forgot. Fire's kinda your thing." I say aloud.

The dragon-boy smirks. "They're just playing. They haven't seen what a dragon can do."

"Shhh!" I look around to see if anyone heard him. "Not so loud!"

"Pfft, it's fine. No one cares anyway."

"Besides, no one would believe him if Natsu got up on a stage and told everyone what he was!" Happy pipes in.

I shrug. Maybe they're right.

Hours fly by faster than I thought they could. I drag Natsu and Happy to every booth and every shop, all of which are preparing for the festival tonight. By the time we start heading for the plaza, where the festival is taking place, the sun is low in the sky and Happy has started to yawn. I watch the sky turn a fiery shade of red, as the sun sinks below the far off mountains.

The entire town is lit with an amber glow; the cobblestones are tinted orange from the fading light. In the plaza, men stack firewood in huge pires to prepare for the evenings's events. We stop to watch them, and Natsu smiles giddily. "Can you imagine the bonfires tonight? They'll be huge if the stacks of firewood are anything to go by." He nods in the direction of several carts, all full of chopped wood.

I shake my head, chuckling. "I'll never understand what's so great about fire to you."

"If you could taste it, you'd understand." He flashes one of his grins. "Hey, look happy! Check out those fish…Happy?"

We both look at the blue cat, who has fallen fast asleep in Natsu's head of pink hair.

"Awww, look at him. He's cuter when he's sleeping." I say, watching his small body rise and fall. "Laughing at you all day must have tuckered him out."

"Funny. I swear, that monkey was the devil incarnate." He scowls. "You know what I would do if I was in charge of this country?"

"What's that?"

"I would ban all primates. Then no one would get killed." He says.

"Because banning primates would be the solution to everyone's problems?" I joke, smiling at the irony of it all. He's unknowingly talking about how he would run the country to the girl who's father actually runs it.

"No, but I guarantee it would make the world a better place." He replies airily. "Come on, lets go grab spots. They'll be starting soon."

We head over to sit on a bench near the edge of the plaza. Natsu gently lifts Happy off of his head and sets him on the bench. A question sparks in my brain. "How did you and him end up together?"

Natsu looks at me, his eyes, thoughtful. "How did we end up together?"

I nod. He leans back on his hands, looking up at the sky. "I dunno. It just seems like he's always been here. Maybe…gosh, I've known Happy ever since my folks disappeared."

"That's what…ten years?"

He runs a hand through his hair, which has been messed up by the sleeping cat. "Yeah, I guess so. Wow, I never thought about that."

We sit in companionable silence for a while, watching the stars come out. I'm amazed at how many there are; since Thorpe is much smaller than the Capitol, the night sky is so much clearer. I pick out the constellation of Gemini, the twins. My mother taught me to identify all the zodiac constellations when I was young, so looking at the stars reminds me of her.

I hear a crackle and a pop, and see that the bonfires have been lit and are blazing several feet into the air. People are filing into the square; thank goodness it is so big, because it looks like the whole town is here. I remove my hat and set it next to Happy. I'm not so worried about being recognized now that it's gotten dark. My blond hair falls around my face freely, shining amber in the firelight.

"You ready?" Natsu says, grinning from ear to ear.

"For what?" I reply.

His grin widens. "You'll find out in a moment!"

I don't have long to wait, because in a minute or so, a loud BOOM resonates through the square, and a glorious blaze of golden sparks flashes through the sky. Another one follows close behind, this one vibrant green and pink.

"Fireworks!" I say, smiling. It's been a while since I've seen them. One after another, they set the sky on fire, in a catastrophe of blue, red, orange, gold, and green sparks. They shower down around us, and it seems almost like magic.

I look over to see Natsu looking up, his face shining from the light of the bonfires. I've decided that his grin must be permanent. In the plaza, I see people begin an energetic folk dance in the ring of bonfires. It's all a mess of swirling skirts and spinning people, but it looks like fun.

"Come on Natsu! Lets go dance!" I say excitedly, standing up and pulling him with me. He just laughs and follows me.

"Do you even know how to dance?" He inquires, raising an eyebrow.

I'm about to tell him that I'm a princess, of course I know how to dance, but then I stop myself. "I can dance. My father taught me."

He just shrugs and takes my hand. "Come on then."

We enter the group, and I feel my feet carry me through the throng. Swirling, spinning, stopping, starting, spinning, I dance my way through several partners and then back to Natsu. By now, I'm dizzy and giddy with energy; My skirt swirls around my legs in the lively steps. After the second round of partners, I'm back with Natsu, sweaty but happy. I've never felt so free in a long time. The fireworks continue to boom and crackle above our heads, and the bonfires make jagged shadows on the cobblestone, making the very air around us seem alive. I want to stay here and dance my way through the rest of the night.

My hair whips around my face in time with my feet. All thoughts of concealing my identity are put aside, but why worry? No one has noticed me at all, and no one will recognize me now that it's dark and everyone is having fun.

I don't know how much time passes; maybe an hour or so? But eventually Natsu, laughing and sweaty, pulls me out of the ring of dancers. "Are you thirsty? Cause I'm dying." He heads over to a table full of more refreshments than I thought existed. I'm about to follow him when someone steps in front of me.

"Um, hey! Excuse me!" I say indignantly, then wish I could take the words back when I look into the face of the man who blocks my path.

He's over six feet tall, with a muscled chest and a nasty scar running from his eye to his jaw. He absolutely reeks of alcohol, and I gulp when I see the twin blades in his belt.

"Um…excuse me…I'll just be going over there…"I try to move around him, but he reaches out and grabs my shoulder.

"Come on, sweetheart, where 'ya goin so fast?" He drawls.

I look around him, trying to see where Natsu went. I've dealt with thugs like him before, but I have no intention of getting stabbed tonight. I ponder the risk of calling his name. Would he hear? If he didn't, I would make things worse for myself.

I look back at the man. He looks me up and down, smiling maliciously. I swallow down fear as he takes out one of his knives and starts to clean his fingernails. "What's a pretty girl like you doing all by herself?"

Suddenly angry, I straighten my shoulders. "Move out of the way, please."

The man laughs aloud, obviously drunk. "I like you. You've got…"He searches for the word."… spunk."

His laugh is a little too loud for my ears, and I wince and rub my ear a bit. But the man still has my shoulder in a death grip. If I survive this, I'm positive I'll have a nasty bruise.

He holds the knife up to my face. I lean away from it, a little worried about the sharp-weapon-pointed-at-face part. He tries to drag me away, and I scream and kick. Amid the ruckus of the festival, no one hears my cries for help, and he manages to pull me into a dark alley. I take a deep breath, and scream. "NAATTSUU!"

The man curses and slams a grimy hand against my mouth. "Now, we don't want anyone to come find us, do we? So you'd better keep your pretty mouth shut."

He presses a knife to my throat, and just when I think I'm done for, he pauses. My heart pounds against my ribcage.

"I like you. Before I kill you, what's your…"He belches. "…name?"

I'm about to open my mouth to spit in his face, when:

"Lucy!" I hear a voice a few feet away. I can't turn my head to look, but I let out a sigh of relief. Natsu heard me!

"You jerk! Let go of her before I make you regret it!"

Muttering angrily under his breath, the man turns to look at Natsu. "Aww, look at that. You even brought your little boyfriend."

In any other circumstance, I would have bristled at the statement that Natsu was my boyfriend, but right now I'm too concerned about the knife at my throat. I feel a single droplet run down my neck to rest in the hollow at my throat.

"Let. Her. Go." He almost growls.

The knife digs further into my neck, and before I can stop it, a little whimper escapes through my lips. The man laughs.

This makes Natsu look furious, and I swear there are flames in his eyes. "Alright, you asked for it."

In the blink of an eye, Natsu whams one flaming fist into the side of my attacker's head, sending him reeling into the wall. He throws another punch into his stomach, again and again, until the man slumps to the ground, unconscious. He slowly straightens his shoulders, extinguishing the flames from his hands. "That'll teach you to go around picking on helpless girls."

We make eye contact, and I slide to the ground, relieved. My heart is still pounding against my chest.

"Are you okay, Luce?" Natsu looks kinda concerned, which is sweet of him.

"Yeah…" My voice shakes a little. "Yeah, I'm fine now. I guess that makes two times now."

He looks confused. "Two times for what?"

I smile. "That you've rescued me of course."

He helps me up.

"Thanks, Natsu. I thought I was a goner."

"Nah, it's no big deal. I could use a good fight like that every now and then." He cracks another grin.

I can't help smiling. "It looked a little one-sided to me."

We laugh, heading back to the plaza, where Happy has woken up and is looking for us.

"Hey, where've you guys been? It's almost midnight." Happy says, flying up to Natsu's shoulder.

I open my mouth to reply, but am interrupted by Natsu. "Doesn't matter. But we need to be getting home. I think we've had enough excitement for one day.

* * *

The next day, I'm just getting up to eat breakfast when I hear the doorbell ring. _Who could that be?_

I reach for the doorhandle and pause for a moment. Could it be someone who recognized me from last night?

I shake myself and open the door, only to jump back, shocked.

Standing in the doorway, looking fierce and infuriated, is none other than the Captain of the Guard.

 **Aaaand…that's it! Sorry about that little cliffhanger. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think!**


	6. A daughter, a sister, a traitor

Chapter 6

 **I hit 115 follows! Yay!**

 **Hey guys, thanks for being super supportive and everything. It means a lot! I've been re-reading all of my favorite fanfictions lately, so I'm all fired up now! I wanted to release one on christmas but oh well,** **Here we go, chapter 6…**

 **Lucy's POV**

I gulp down shock as I stare at the red-haired woman, dressed in full body armor, standing with her hands on her hips and a glare that could kill. _They found me. Oh no, please don't take me back._

"Where is he?" She demands, appraising me with disapproval written all over her face.

I stutter, terrified. Should I run? She would definitely catch me.

Thankfully, I don't have to answer, because at that moment Natsu comes down the stairs.

"Hey, Lucy, is there any—" He stops at the bottom step, noticing for the first time the open door and the furious woman standing there. "Oh, hey Erza! Long time no see, am I right?"

She just fumes, stepping inside and shutting the door with a boom. I back up against the wall, knowing that I'm a goner for sure.

"Natsu Dragneel…." She growls.

He gulps. "Oh, so it's _that_ kind of Erza today. What did I do this time?"

I stop them both, still staying far away from the Captain of the Guard. "Wait, wait, wait. You two _know_ each other?"

Erza unsheathes her sword, a gleaming piece of wicked sharp metal. "Natsu and I have known each other for a very long time. You're both lucky it was me who found you, Princess."

I try to shrink into the wall. It doesn't work.

"And you," She grabs Natsu, who flails madly, and hits him over the head with the butt of her sword. "HOW STUPID CAN YOU BE? YOU ATTACKED AN ENTIRE REGIMENT IN PLAIN DAYLIGHT! NOT ONLY THAT BUT YOU KIDNAPPED THE PRINCESS OF FIORE! THE ENTIRE ARMY IS ON A DRAGONHUNT FOR YOU!"

She releases Natsu, who stumbles away looking as confused as ever, rubbing the large goose egg on his head. "What are you talking about? I didn't kidnap any princesses."

Erza sheathes her sword, shaking her head with fading anger. I realize that my secret is out, and decide that when this is over, I'm going to dig a hole so that I can curl up and die.

" _Lucy_ is the princess, you idiot!" She sighs.

Natsu looks at me, dazed. "That's ridiculous. Lucy can't be a princess! She's…well, she's Lucy!"

I feel my face heat up. "No, Natsu, she's right. I'm the princess."

He crosses is arms. I expect him to start breathing fire at any moment now, after hearing him talk about barbequing my father yesterday.

"Well, why didn't you _say_ anything?" He asks.

I'm taken aback. "Wh-What?"

"If you were a princess, you could've just said so." He states matter-of-factly.

Now it's my turn to be confused. "I…I thought that if you knew who I really was, you wouldn't let me stay here."

"Pfft. That's ridiculous. Why does it make a difference?"

Now that I think about it, it _does_ kind of seem stupid.

"I don't know, it was kind of silly of me." I say offhandedly. "But, Natsu, how do you know Erza?"

"Erza showed up here when we were younger, just after the Great Dragon Purge. She's a mage." He says, scratching his neck. "So she hid out here for about a year, then left to find a job in the palace. And, well, now she's the Captain of the Guard."

"Oh, sure, just tell her everything." Erza says.

"Why not? She deserves to know." Natsu quips.

Erza doesn't respond, just scowls at her pink-haired friend.

"Well, come on then, princess. Lets go eat. I'm starving. We'll explain everything."

In the kitchen, over eggs and sausage, Natsu explains to me that he and Erza are part of a secret mage resistance known as Fairy Tail.

"We're based over in Magnolia. We work to help mages and dragons who are in trouble, or need somewhere to hide." He says. "Our Master, Makarov, is very protective of the guild."

I listen in silence as they tell me all of this, nodding occasionally.

"I'm sure you understand what would happen if the King found out about us?" Erza raises an eyebrow.

"I have no loyalty towards that man. You don't need to worry. I'd prefer it if I never had to see his face again." I spit, rather venomously.

Natsu looks surprised at my statement, but Erza nods, understanding completely. She works for my father, so she knows his true nature.

"So, this Fairy Tail…how long has it been around?" I ask, moving away from the subject of my father.

Natsu grins. "Well, Fairy Tail was a mage's guild, before the Great Dragon Purge. They were pretty famous, but then your dad killed off all the mages. Most of the guild members survived, though, and went into hiding."

"Smart move." I say, a little sarcastically.

"Well, now that that's settled, I'll be going. My regiment will be wondering where I'm at." Erza stands, placing her plate in the sink, where I watch in amazement as it cleans itself and flies neatly into the cupboard.

"Magic?" I ask, pointing at the sink.

Natsu looks over at the sink. "Oh, that? The sink was installed back when magic was legal. It runs on a lacrima."

I have no idea what a lacrima is, but I just nod and follow Erza into the hall to say a quick goodbye.

"You won't tell anyone where I'm at, will you?" I ask, a little worried.

She dips her head respectfully. "Your secret is safe with me, your highness. I'll even steer the King away from this area, into the west. He has ordered patrols to search every house in Fiore, so you can expect to have to hide from a few soldiers. In this castle, it shouldn't be too difficult."

"Thank you." I breathe, relieved.

"Princess, might I give you one word of advice?" Erza says quietly, looking into the kitchen where Natsu is.

"Yes?"

"….Be careful. The King wants Natsu dead more than he wants you back alive." She meets my eyes. "He's reckless, he doesn't think. Look out for him for me, will you?"

I nod. "Of course I will."

Two weeks later, the first patrol arrives. Natsu comes running inside a little after noon.

"Crap! Lucy! Get down here now!"

"Natsu?" I say curiously, coming out of the library to see what the fuss is about.

He grabs my hand and drags me down the hallway.

"What's happening? Where are we going? Natsu!" I protest as he pulls me down several flights of stairs, into the lower, darker levels of the castle.

He stops abruptly, making me bump into his back. "Oomph. Wha—Natsu?"

He puts a finger to my lips, making me go silent. Quickly, he puts his hand to a random spot on the wall. Flames spiral from his fingertips, illuminating a strange shape, and a door opens in the wall.

Without hesitating, he shoves me inside and quickly follows.

On the other side of the door is a small room, more like a jail cell really. There's a bench on one side, and a window to let in light, but the rest of the small room is bare.

"What's going on?" I demand.

He leans against the wall, letting out a breath. "Soldiers. Coming up the hill. They'll be inside any moment now."

I look at him. "So….why are we in here?"

"They'll be searching the whole castle. Every room. This is one of the prison cells—"

" _Prison cells?!"_

"Yeah. It's an old castle. Anyways, it's impossible to get in here without being a member of the Dragneel family, so we're safe." He says

"We can get out, right?" I say, a little skeptically.

He grins, sitting down with his back to the wall. "Yeah, sure. It'll be a while though."

I slide to the floor across from him, not trusting that rotten old bench to hold my weight. The sounds of footsteps echo through the halls, and they can be heard even from in here. I look across at Natsu, who has decided to take a nap. His vest is open down the front, and for the first time I notice how the muscles move with each breath, rippling and strong as steel.

I shake myself out of it. _What on earth, Lucy?! Stop it!_

A blush creeps into my cheeks, and I sheepishly look away.

I don't ever want to fall for anyone. From what I've seen of romance, it only tears people apart.

" _Dad, momma's going to be okay, isn't she? The doctor can heal her with his magic!" I said, standing in the hallway outside the room where my mother was resting. The king shut the door carefully, so as not to wake his wife._

" _Of course, Lucy. The doctor is a mage. Mages can do anything." I was too young to hear the tremble in his voice, or the way his eyes held concern and fear._

 _I hugged him around the waist, comforted by his hand on my head. "Daddy, I'm scared!"_

 _He knelt down, looking me in the eyes with his loving ones. "Lucy, your mother needs both of us to be brave for her. Do you think you can do that?"_

 _I nodded, and he wiped my tears away with a gentle hand. "Everything is going to be fine. I promise."_

" _Is it really, papa?" I said, voice shaking._

" _I promise. No matter what the future holds, I will always be here for you." He vowed._

A month later, my mother passed away.

" _Daddy, who are all of these people? Why are they here?" I asked, clinging to his hand in the courtyard. There were so many people lined up, in rows, just standing there. Guards were stationed around the perimeter. I spotted a little girl, about my age, standing with her mother. I waved at her, and she smiled and waved back. For some reason, her mother stepped in front of her and glared at me through tears._

" _Daddy, why is that woman crying? What's going on?" I asked._

 _My father looked down at me gently. "Lucy, my dear, these are bad people. They must be dealt with accordingly."_

" _But Daddy, what did they do?" I said._

 _He put a hand under my chin. "They have betrayed our country. Someday, when you are older, you will understand. Now, go with your brother to your room and stay there until Virgo comes to get you, alright?"_

" _Yes Daddy."_

" _There's my little princess." He said._

 _From the nursery, my brother and I played with wooden swords while gunshots rang out in the distance._

Only later did I realize what had happened that day: Those people, that little girl, all of them were innocent. They were killed by my father because of their ability to wield magic or because of their dragon ancestry.

" _You'll do as I say and I won't hear a word about it from you, am I clear?!" The king shouted, inches away from my tearful face. "You are not to speak to servants unless you are giving a direct order!"_

" _B-but she's m-my friend!" I cried, referring to the servant girl who I had been close with for years._

" _NONSENSE! I will not have my daughter associating with the likes of her!" He spat angrily. "Now go to your room and don't come out until you've stopped crying!"_

 _I ran upstairs, throwing my small body on the bed, wailing. I soon heard a soft knock on the door, and in came my big brother._

" _Lucy…are you okay?" he asked quietly, sitting down beside me and putting a hand on my shoulder._

 _I lay there, sniveling, as my 12 year old brother tried to comfort me. Finally, after a long while, I sat up and wiped my nose on a handkerchief that he handed me._

" _Ky…when do you think our family will be back to normal?" I say, using my nickname for him that our father hates._

 _He just sighs, looking at me with big brown eyes. "I don't know, Lucy. But we'll be okay."_

" _We'll be okay."_

Years passed, and finally I was turning 17. The banquet was to be huge; many representatives from all the surrounding nations were to be present. Father had called me to his study to discuss something.

" _Father?" I said stiffly, opening the door with care._

 _He looked up from where Malachi was filling out some papers for him, some 'princely duty'. My brother caught my eye, sharing a mutinous grin before going back to work. "Ah, Lucy. I see you're on time today."_

" _Yes, father."_

" _It is your seventeenth birthday today, am I correct?"_

" _Yes, father."_

" _Well, now that you're nearly a woman, it's time you began contributing to the Heartfilia family." He stated gruffly as he puffed on a pipe._

"… _Father?" I said softly, as was 'proper' for a young lady._

" _Yes, I've been speaking with the King of Bosco-As you know, our countries have been feuding for years-you see he will be passing soon and needs to secure the bloodline of his family." He continued, pausing to point out an error in Malachi's work._

Oh no _. I thought to myself._

 _He coughed. "I have made the arrangements for your marriage to his son, Prince Cobra, in a peace treaty between Fiore and Bosco. He will be present at your banquet tonight, you will meet your future husband then."_

 _I heard the sound of a pen dropping, and looked over to see Malachi staring, shocked, at the King._

 _My heart pounded in my chest. Marriage? No._

 _I cleared my throat, feeling sweat trickle down my neck. "I will not."_

 _I flinched as my father looked at me, his eyes cold and calculating. "You have no say in the matter. I have already arranged it."_

" _I will not marry a man I have never met." I told him again, my breaths coming quickly in anticipation of his fury._

 _He leaned in close so that we were eye to eye. "Young lady, you are seventeen. It's time you stop acting like a child and do what's best for the country."_

" _What's best for country?" Malachi stood up, slamming his hands into the table. "Father, Prince Cobra is renowned for his cruelty. What about what's best for my sister?"_

" _Silence. As future King, you must understand that we need to act in the best interests of our great nation. You would do well to keep quiet." My father spoke harshly, the words like sharpened blades._

" _What's best for the nation?" My brother repeated. "What, like when you slaughtered hundreds of innocent people during the Great Dragon Purge?"_

 _He was standing face to face with the King, breathing hard. "I will not let you trade my sister away like some piece of land!"_

 _A loud smack resounded through the marble walls. It sent Malachi reeling backwards, clutching his cheek. He clutched a chair for support, panting heavily._

 _I gasped in horror. My father had never hit either of us, not even in his worst moments._

" _I will not tolerate insubordination in my own house. Understood?"_

 _Neither of us spoke a word._

" _Good."_

 _It was that night, when I met my future husband, that I decided to run away._

I don't realize that there are tears running down my face until Natsu wakes up.

"Luce? What's wrong?" He says, rubbing his eyes. It's been maybe an hour that the soldiers have been searching the castle. We can still hear the footsteps above our heads.

I jump a little, startled, then reach up to touch my wet cheeks. "Oh…that…It's nothing."

"It sure doesn't look like nothing. Come on, Lucy. What's the matter?" He insists.

I wipe away the tears. "Just…thinking. About my father."

His expression turns somber. "That man? Look, Lucy, don't worry about him. No matter what happens, I won't let him get to you."

The stone beneath me is still cold as ice, making me wrap my arms tighter around myself. I attempt a smile. "Thanks, Natsu, but I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

"Oh, stop. We're friends, and that's what friends are for. I don't know what he did to you, but I promise I won't let him hurt you again. Got it?"

I manage a real smile. "Okay."

 **Thanks for reading! So there, now you know why Lucy ran away. I don't usually work with OCs, but Malachi is an exception cause I couldn't think of a character that would work as a brother.**


	7. Fairy Tail

**Oh. My. Gosh. My Flash drive corrupted and now I'm rewriting chapter 7. Ugh. So sorry in advance that it took so long, I was trying to recover the documents.** * **mentally crying because that was an especially well-written chapter.** *

 **Okay, well thank goodness I have a pretty good memory. Here goes nothing. Chapter 7, take 2.**

Lucy's POV

"I still don't get why we couldn't just take the train." I grumble, kicking a pebble and causing it to skitter down the dusty road. With a big sigh, I keep trudging along.

My pink-haired companion blanches, looking down at the road in front of us. "Takes less time. Besides, walking is good for you."

"It _so_ does not take less time, you dimwit. The train station is three minutes away." Sometimes I wonder if Natsu loves to annoy me, or if he really is just super dense. "And it will take us forever to walk all ten miles!"

He just crosses his arms. "Yeah, but this way no one will recognize you!"

"You didn't seem too worried about that when we went to town for the festival."

With an eye roll, he groans. "Jeez. Did a little walking ever kill anyone?"

As realization dawns on me, I abruptly step in front of him, causing him to bump into me.

"Hey! What's the big deal?!" He gives me a puzzled look.

I stare him down, almost laughing but catching myself. "You're afraid of trains!"

His eyes widen, and he laughs nervously. "What makes you think that?"

I grin, feeling very accomplished. "Why don't you like trains? Do you get claustrophobic? That would make sense, after all you _are_ a dragon. No, nevermind, that wouldn't make sense…do you just not like people? No, not that…" I trail off, and realize that I've been rambling. As I tick off options in my head, one stands out. "Aha! I've got it! You get motion sickness!"

He splutters, stumbling away from me. "Wh-What!? Me? Motion sick? Woman, I am a dragon. Dragons are the most feared beasts to ever walk the earth. Dragons do not _get_ motion sickness."

I laugh out loud. His reaction sealed my theory perfectly. "Natsu Dragneel getting motion sickness! Who would've thought!"

"Shut it, _princess_. I _so_ do not." He sticks his tongue out in a very mature manner.

"Yeah, okay. You keep saying that."

He scowls at me, scrunching up his eyebrows so they meet. "Come on. Let's get moving."

"Aww, look who's all grumpy now." I tease, poking him in the side. I'm glad for the distraction from my chafing feet and the hot sun.

"I am not grumpy."

"Sure you aren't, Dragon-boy."

He stops to look at me for a second, then grins mischievously. "Alright, that's it!"

Before I can ask him what he means, he swings me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and takes off.

I scream."AAAAAAGGGHHHH NAAAAAATTTTTSSSUUUUUUU PUUUUUUUTTTT MEEE DOOOWWWNNNN!"

I can hear him laughing now, and I pound a fist into his back. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

He's still laughing after he puts me down. Now it's my turn to glare at him. "You idiot."

"Aw, come on Luce. That was funny." He puts both hands on his knees, taking a deep breath. "But jeez, I didn't know princesses were so heavy."

"You're lucky I haven't strangled you half to death by now." I inform him, resisting the urge to kick him all the way to Magnolia.

He laughs again. "I'd like to see you try."

His smile is contagious, and before I know what happened, I'm giggling too. But I resolve to get my payback later.

It takes us two hours to finally arrive in Magnolia, a large town filled with colorful shops and people. I immediately take a liking to it and its lively atmosphere. After a short walk Natsu stops in front of a pub, showcasing an old sign that reads _Fairy Tail._

"This used to be our guild hall, until the army came and disbanded the guild. But most of us regrouped once everything settled down, and we've been meeting in the basement of the pub ever since." Natsu explains, shouldering his pack. "C'mon. I can't wait to introduce you to everyone!"

The second I'm through the doors, I regret my decision. There are people everywhere, crowded into booths, sitting at the counter, shouting across the room at a young, beautiful girl with white hair, who carries trays back and forth between the tables. At least half of the people are drunk, singing loudly and arguing over pointless little things.

Natsu sees my apprehension, and just grins, reading my mind. "Actually, this isn't the guild. This is the bar that Mira and Lisanna run, to disguise the actual guild. Everyone is downstairs."

He looks across the crowded room. "Oi, Mira! Over here!"

The girl spots us, and smiles brightly, making her way through the pools of alcohol and drunken men. "Natsu! You're back!"

She reaches us, and her smile grows when she sees me standing next to him. I notice her rather large and round belly, but don't inquire. "You must be Lucy! I'm MiraJane Dreyer, but everyone just calls me Mira."

I like her. "It's great to meet you, Mira."

Her great blue eyes twinkle warmly. "Come on! I'll introduce you to the guild. I'm sure it'll be a relief to be among other females after spending all your time with Natsu and Happy."

Natsu blinks, slightly offended, but I just giggle and give Mira a grateful nod.

We follow her behind the crowded bar to a drab little door. It looks just like a pantry or a cupboard, and when she opens it, that's exactly what I see: a rather large pantry. She slips inside and shuts the door once we're both through, and then feels along the wall to find some hidden lever. I hear a loud click, and the far wall slides away to reveal a dark staircase.

"I know it seems a little much, but you'd be surprised how many times we get searched by the military." She chimes.

I shiver as I walk down the stairwell, being careful with my steps. At one point, Natsu bumps into me in the pitch black.

"Hey! Careful!" I protest.

"Hurry up! Jeez." He complains in reply.

Somewhere further down the stairs, I hear Mira giggle.

When she opens the door at the bottom, a flood of blinding light fills my vision for several seconds. As my eyes adjust, I gasp.

I was expecting a dank, dark cellar with a single lamp and a few chairs. What greets me is a whole different setting.

It's a great big meeting hall, complete with a bar, stools, and wooden tables everywhere. The Fairy Tail emblem is displayed proudly on a banner hung from the rafters, and even though I don't see any lights, the whole room is well lit, as if by magic.

Sitting here and there are twenty or so people, lounging around the tables or drinking at the bar.

Natsu bursts through the door behind me, a big grin plastered on his face. "Guess who's back!"

Everyone looks up, and I blush at being stared at by everyone.

"Natsu! It's been a while, eh?" Some older guy calls from the bar.

"Where've ya been?"

"Who's your girlfriend?" Another jeers. I do a double take. The guy who spoke has a face covered in piercings, and long, unruly black hair. To be honest, he terrifies me, but he has his arm around a tiny blue-haired girl who looks perfectly fine.

Natsu just takes it in stride. "Lucy's not my girlfriend. She's just the princess."

I feel my cheeks flush. "Oh, sure. Just tell _everyone."_ I hiss, purposefully stepping on his foot.

" _Just_ the _princess_?!" A brunette girl in a bikini top looks up, flabbergasted, from her drink. Judging by the size of the mug, she looks like she can hold her liquor.

The blue haired girl stands up, letting the scary man's arm fall away from her tiny shoulders. "Oh, C'mon, you guys. Where are your manners?" She walks up to us with a friendly smile. "Hi, Lucy! I'm Levy Mcgarden. You'll have to excuse my guildmates, it's not every day we're visited by a princess."

I smile softly, unsure of what to say. "Nice to meet you, Levy."

I look around to see that everyone has turned back to their conversations, leaving me feeling a little more comfortable.

"So I hear you're staying with Natsu, right? How'd a royal like you end up there?" She asks.

"Now, Levy. Don't be nosy!" Mira reprimands from where she stands behind the bar.

"I don't mind. To answer your question, I ran away from home. Natsu found me a while ago and I've been staying in his castle ever since." I explain.

"Wow! You ran away?! That's so brave! I'll bet the whole army is after you!" She exclaims. "Why did you run away in the first place?"

I hesitate, my breath catching in my throat. Her bright eyes grow wide when I don't answer right away.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I guess that's kind of a personal question, right?"

"No, no it's okay. The king arranged a marriage between me and a prince, who was awful and cruel. So I ran. My dad is a tyrant, I don't miss him. And after everything I've learned, it's no wonder everyone hates him so much."

Levy gives me a sympathetic look. "Well, I gotta say, you were pretty brave to leave like that."

I open my mouth to let out a humble thank you, when a loud crash interrupts me.

"Oi, Gajeel! Fight me!" I suddenly hear Natsu shouting from across the room.

"Umm…what?" I gape, looking at Levy to see her reaction.

"I'm not gonna fight you, idiot. Not everyone constantly wants to throw down, you know!" Gajeel-who I guess is the intimidating guy with the piercings-shoots back.

"Oh, yeah? Well how about if I smash your face in, huh? Will you fight me then?" He yells, setting his fist on fire.

Gajeel stands up, going head to head with the pink-haired dragon-boy. "No! I won't fight you! I'll smash your thick skull!"

I am at a loss for words, but Levy just laughs as if the two men fighting is the most normal thing in the world. "Since Gray isn't here to spar with Natsu, He and Gajeel are always fighting."

"You mean to tell me this is normal?"

"Yeah, pretty much. They're both dragons so they tend to be pretty destructive." She tells me.

"Oh, and who's this Gray person? Is he member of your guild?" I ask.

Mira walks over, carrying a tray, and hands me a cup of tea. "Gray is Natsu's best friend, even though neither will admit it. He's working undercover as a guard in the palace, with Erza. She's another guild member."

I think through all the guards that I knew growing up. Were there any named Gray?

"I met her the other day." I say, remembering the scary red-haired woman. "She's pretty hard to forget."

Levy smiles. "Come on! I'll introduce you to everyone."

She drags me around the guild hall, and I meet the girl in the bikini top, whose name is Cana. While she might be kind of rude, she's pretty friendly. I decide that I like her. Next is Lisanna, who greets me with a warm hug and empathizes with me about the cons of living in a huge castle with no one but Natsu and Happy for company. She promises to come visit when she can, and reminds me to stop by any time, for any reason. Names float through my mind. Fried, Elfman, Loke, Bisca, Droy, Macao and his son, Romeo. Everyone seems so friendly. Except one, that is.

"So you're the princess, eh? Well if you ever get back home, give your old man the finger for me, okay? And you'd better not blow our cover, or I'll leave you wishing you were dead." Says Laxus, a grumpy blonde guy with a nasty scar over his eye. I find him a lot scarier than Gajeel.

"Oh, okay then." I stammer, and wish Levy would have steered me away from him.

"Laxus, be nice." A cheerful voice says from behind us. I turn to see Mira walking up to the three of us, and watch in amazement as Laxus goes from grouchy to almost kindly. I finally make the connection between MiraJane's swollen belly and the scary man in front of me.

Mira smiles as always, moving to hug Laxus from the side. "You'll have to excuse my husband, he doesn't really like newcomers."

I gape in shock. How could Mira—who is possibly the nicest person I've met in a long time—marry someone like Laxus, who seems to be the exact opposite?

But the way he looks at her protectively confirms beyond a doubt that they love each other, so I guess that makes up for it.

Without warning, a big, heavy shape flies into me, knocking me off of my feet. I land hard on the floor and look up, very annoyed, to see nothing but a mess of pink hair.

"Get off of me, you big lug." I grunt, unable to breathe, and with half a mind to kick him all the way back across the room.

Natsu rolls off of me, looking apologetic. "Oops! Sorry Luce!"

"Natsu, play nice." Levy calls. "Hey, Gajeel! Come here for a second!"

The big guy with the piercings has somehow turned his skin to metal and looks like he is in full battle mode, but he retracts his metal claws and his skin turns back to normal when he hears Levy. "Fine, but just for a sec. I've got to finish creaming the pyro."

"Lucy, this is my boyfriend, Gajeel."

She tells me, gesturing at the man. Another unlikely couple.

Gajeel grins. When he speaks, his voice is rough and grating. "You're Natsu's girl, huh? Well if Levy thinks you're cool, I guess I can overlook that. Welcome to Fairy Tail, princess."

I bristle a little at the title of 'Natsu's girl,' but I shrug it off. Overall, Fairy Tail seems like a pretty great group of people.

"Oh, I forgot!" Natsu stands, brushing off his vest. "Where's gramps? I need to talk to him about something."

"Right here, Natsu." Someone says from the doorway. I look to see a short old man. Behind him are a blue-haired girl, maybe 14, a white she-cat, and Happy, who flew ahead of us to do some things.

"Hey, gramps! Wendy, Carla." Natsu greets them. "Gramps, do you have a moment?"

The old man waves a hand. "Come on into my office, child." He says. "Bring the princess, too."

I exchange a glance with Natsu, and he grins. "Come on, princess!"

I follow him into a small back room, with a desk and a few chairs. I sit next to Natsu on the couch.

The master gives me a smile. "Hello, your highness. Erza has told me about you. Welcome to Fairy Tail, I'm Master Makarov."

I smile in return. "You can just call me Lucy. I'm not really the princess anymore."

He nods. "Natsu?"

"Right. The reason that we came here today was to warn you about increased patrols in this area." The dragon-boy says, getting right to the point. "The King is trying to find both of us. Just the other day, my castle was searched by soldiers."

The master raises two white, bushy eyebrows. "And did they see Lucy?"

Natsu shakes his head. "No. We hid in the dungeons. They maybe found a few belongings, but nothing that would give us away. Not unless they were using some kind of tracking magic, which I doubt they would. There aren't too many mages in the army anymore."

He strokes his mustache thoughtfully. "But they'll be back."

"I know. Which is why I'm asking Fried to set up a magic security enchantment around the estate."

"A smart move. I just hope Erza has enough influence to keep most of the army away from this region. King Jude is going full force in this operation. He never did do anything halfway."

"You act like you know him." I say. Porlyusica and her friendship with my mother comes to mind.

He chuckles in the way that only old people can. "Your father and I were good friends in our younger years. He and Layla were closely associated with Fairy Tail at one point."

"What happened?" I ask.

He shuts his eyes tightly. "Layla was put under a curse by a dark guild. Jude called upon one of our best mages to break the curse, but it did no good. Layla died, and Jude was never the same man. It was a tragedy, and he blames us for it. All of us."

"Oh." I breath, remembering the death of my mother and the toll it took on my father.

"Thanks for the heads up, Natsu. We'll have to keep a lookout for soldiers." Makarov says.

"Good." Natsu's expression is serious.

Back in the guild hall, we say goodbye to everyone. I'm glad I got to meet them all, and Levy tells me that she'll drop by to chat sometime. By the time we get back, I feel a little less alone in the world.

But despite my newly formed friendships, there is a knot forming in my stomach. I can't escape the feeling that I'm not safe, and I never will be safe. Everyone around me is in danger, because it's only a matter of time. He'll find me.

It won't be long

 **So…yeah. This was kind of a filler chapter because I wanted to introduce Lucy to the guild. Things are a little less crazy without Erza and Gray around, but they'll come in later in the story.**

 **What did you think of the MiraxLaxus pairing? I was pretty hesitant to use it because it's not canon and I personally prefer CanaxLaxus, but I figured more people ship them. Anyways, since it's not a huge part of the story I'm not too worried about it.**

 **Once again I apologize for this taking so long. Not only did my flash drive corrupt, but I lost it too. Add in some good-old writers block, and it's amazing I even got this done. My entire chapter-by-chapter plot is gone, which is pretty much the lifeline for the whole story. I managed to redo most of it by memory, (thank god I have photographic memory), and that was today, so I finished this really fast. I still can't find my flash drive but it's okay because I rewrote all the important documents, so no more setbacks. (Unless water spills on this laptop or something, I think if that happened I would just go die.)**

 **So yeah. Just a week in the life of a writer.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	8. The soldier

**Here's another chapter of Dragon's Blood! Sorry it took so long.**

I add the final touches to the soup, a little salt, a little basil, and use a spoon to taste test it. Perfect.

"Natsu! Happy! Hurry up and get get down here before the food gets cold!" Over the past few weeks, I've grown accustomed to having to shout to be heard across the castle. Since the three of us mostly stay in the same general area, it's pretty effective. It also helps that Natsu's hearing is so keen.

In a few minutes, the boys come down the stairs, looking dumbfounded.

"What food? Did you order a pizza?" Natsu pulls out a faded chair and sits at the little wooden table. We all agree that the dining room is too spacious for two people and a cat.

"Even better. Tonight, I cooked dinner myself." I place my hands on my hips proudly.

Natsu and Happy exchange a worried glance.

"Do you even know _how_ to cook?" Happy raises a paw.

I whap him on the head with my wooden spoon. "Of course! My mom taught me. I used to help in the royal kitchens growing up."

Natsu shrugs. "Okay. Food is food."

I dish out three small bowls of soup, along with some bread I discovered in the pantry.

Natsu takes a tentative sip, and his eyes grow wide. In the blink of an eye, he scrapes the bowl clean. "I like it! Another! You should try this, Happy!"

He lunges across the table for more, and I whack him with my wooden spoon.

"Ow!" He yelps, rubbing his head. "What was that for?"

"Manners." I reply sternly, and daintily fill his bowl with a second serving, and then a third, a fourth, and a fifth. Happy goes through three by the time I finish my first.

"Wow, do you have a bottomless pit for a stomach or something?" I remark as we toss the dishes in the magic dishwasher.

"Dragons need more energy than normal people, so they eat a lot." Happy pipes.

"Man, Luce. You should make dinner every night. I had no idea food could taste so good."

"Me neither." Happy floats up to sit on Natsu's head.

I blush a little. As a princess, of course I'm accustomed to flattery, but I don't know how to respond to a sincere compliment. On that thought, my mind drifts to the subject of my father. It's been a week since we visited Magnolia, and we've been hearing reports of mages being captured, dragged from their homes, and publicly executed. Nothing has happened in this town, but my father's grip on the nation is getting stronger. If only I could do something…

"Natsu, I'll make you a deal." I announce, squaring my shoulders and placing my hands on my hips.

"Hrm?"

"I'll make dinner every night, if you teach me how to fight." I say. Learning to defend myself, and maybe even to use magic, would be a major blow to my father's control over me.

Natsu's hair catches on fire.

" _You want me to what?"_ He coughs, dousing his flames but still looking like I grew another head.

I raise my chin. "Teach me to fight. You remember what happened at the festival, right? I'm willing to bet something like that could happen again. And if I'm going to avoid getting caught, I'll need to know the basics anyway."

Natsu, recovering from the shock, now looks a little more thoughtful. "Just to be sure I understand, you want _me_ to teach you how to kick butt? Don't get me wrong; I love a good fight, but seriously. Aren't you worried about breaking a nail or something?"

" _Breaking a nail_?" I snort. "Let me make one thing clear, I am _not_ a princess. I might have been, but not anymore. So I guess we don't have to worry about that."

"Okay, if you really want me to. I can't argue with food." He shrugs.

An hour later, we're out in the courtyard. I'm covered in sweat, but Natsu isn't even breathing hard. He flashes a toothy grin as I lean over to catch my breath.

"Come on, princess! You can't get tired yet. Come at me!" He says, his cockiness grating on my nerves a bit. It's still light outside, the sun is low over the mountains. In the distance I can hear the chirping of the night's first crickets.

With a determined yell, I fly at the pink-haired boy, putting as much power as I can into my fist. He easily sidesteps it and grabs my arm, flipping my entire body onto the cobblestone. He does it carefully, though, so I don't get hurt.

"Gotcha." He laughs as he reaches out a hand to help me up. "Your swing isn't balanced. You've gotta make sure your weight is even. If you go to hit someone and they move out of the way, you'll fall flat on your face."

I nod, biting my lip in concentration.

"Again."

This time I focus more on keeping my weight centered, and throw a punch at Natsu's shoulder.

Moving faster than is humanly possible, he grabs my fist and twists it around so that he has me in an armlock from behind. "Better. But be ready for anything. Brute force won't help you unless you're me, which, you're not. Since most soldiers will be stronger and better trained, you'll have to use your wits."

I swallow, realizing how close behind me he is. I feel my face heat up, and am grateful that he can't see my expression.

"So with that in mind, try and get out." He instructs, referring to the rather compromising hold he has on my arms.

I think, hard, which is twice as difficult with him _right there._ I am suddenly very aware of the heat radiating off of him, which I guess is natural since he _is_ a dragon.

My first attempt is to pull, which off course doesn't work. After that fails, Natsu chuckles, a warm vibration deep in his chest. "That won't work. Come on, Luce! I'm an evil soldier who is about to take you back to the palace where you will be imprisoned for the rest of your life. What are you gonna do?"

I twist around, lifting one arm over my head so that everything is a tangled mess of arms. He still has a firm grip on both forearms, but now that I'm facing him, we're inches apart, locked in a power struggle.

Natsu's lips quirk up into a smirk. "Well, it's not a bad idea. What now?"

I look up at him, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he is wearing no shirt. Or the fact that his muscles are extremely well defined.

I can't move my arms at all. My breaths come quickly from the effort of struggling against his death grip.

On a impulse, I drop all my weight, and let myself fall to the ground, rolling backwards. Caught off guard, Natsu falls with me, but doesn't let go. I move quickly so that I'm sitting on top of him.

"Hah! Gotcha!" I say triumphantly. Natsu laughs, looking up at me with a big smile.

"Heck, I didn't see that coming. It was a good move. You'll have to get used to pulling stunts like that, since you're not very strong." He grunts. "Now get off, you'll suffocate me."

I roll off of him. We sit there for a few moments, and in that time I feel something warm flutter in my chest, like a butterfly. Bewildered, I take a deep breath, and the feeling passes.

"Okay, what now?"

Natsu blows the hair out of his eyes. "I was thinking maybe you could use your elbows and knees instead of your fists. I think I remember someone using that technique once."

I nod, taking in every word. I work hard, and before long, the sun sets over the mountains, and the courtyard is plunged into darkness.

"Well, looks like that's it for tonight. Let's hit the sack." Natsu says.

I look up into the night sky, admiring the many twinkling stars up above. "You go ahead, I think I'll stay out here awhile."

"Huh? Why?"

I smile. "I want to see the stars. There aren't nearly as many in the Capitol."

Natsu scoffs. "These? These aren't stars. They've barely come out. Besides, you can't get a good view from here."

He looks at me thoughtfully. "C'mon. Follow me."

Curious, I follow him through the pitch black corridors. We come to a set of stairs that I haven't seen before, and climb the winding steps all the way up to the top of one of the turrets.

Without a word, Natsu pushes open a little door, and we step out onto the roof.

I gasp. We have a view of the whole valley from here; the warm lights of the town, the far off forests, and in the distance, the jagged peaks of the mountains. High above our heads is the moon, a gleaming white crescent in the vast sky.

This must be the highest point of the castle. We sit on a small balcony. It's not cold; the midsummer air is pleasantly cool on my skin. I'm grateful for the light fabric of my blouse, which billows softly in the breeze.

"Just you wait, in a few minutes the whole sky will be filled with 'em." Natsu murmurs, leaning his head back against the wall. It strikes me how little I know about him. He hasn't told me much about his past, or his family.

"We're pretty different, don't you think?" I say quietly.

He laughs a little. "I hadn't noticed."

"You're a dragon, I'm a princess. You can fight, breathe fire, defend the things you care about, I can dance, speak three languages and use the right fork at an eight course dinner." I breathe, watching a moth flutter along the top of the roof.

Natsu raises an eyebrow. "You speak three languages?!"

"Well, four, I guess. Counting Elvish, which I don't know very well. My mom taught me behind my father's back." I say. "Dad thought that the exotic languages were savage, and unfitting for a princess."

"Geez, that old man gets on my nerves." Natsu hisses, chucking a tiny piece of tile into the night sky.

I'm silent for a few moments. "He wasn't always this way. He used to be a good man, a good father. He's always been strict, but I knew he loved me."

"Even now?" Natsu crosses his arms with a scowl.

I shake my head softly. "After my mom died, he just…snapped. It was like everything good in him died with mom."

He looks at me. "Do you think he'll ever get better?"

I look at the moon, with a small frown. "No. The man who I called father died when he killed all those innocent people years ago."

He sits up, crossing his legs. "Yeah, but…don't you ever wish you could go back in time and get him back?"

I smile sadly. "Every day."

I don't think he heard me, because Natsu Dragneel seems to be off in his own world of thoughts.

I venture a question. "How about you?"

He starts a little, I interrupted whatever he was thinking about. "Oh, me? Yeah. I wish there was a magic spell that could take us all back to before all of this happened. But then, it would happen all over again, and that would just hurt worse, wouldn't it? Knowing that everyone you love, you'll lose, and being unable to stop it? I think that would be even more awful than living without them."

I look up into the sky, where the stars are finally coming out. I take a deep breath of the air, cool and fresh. A beam of light shoots across the sky, and I notice the amazing display of lights overhead. I lie back on the balcony, admiring the view for a while.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?'

"What were they like?"

He's silent for a while. Drawing a shaky breath, he lets out a sigh.

"Well, there were my brothers. I had three of them, and they were all great fighters. Alonzo, he was my eldest brother, he always knew what to do. My sister was older than me but younger than my brothers by several years; We were closer than the other siblings because of the big age difference. She loved to boss me around, but she was a good sister. I miss her."

"You had a sister?" I say, surprised. I never would have thought. "Well I guess that explains the clothes that I found downstairs."

"You found her old clothes? That's good, she was about the same size."

I smile. I would have loved to meet these people.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For everything."

Nothing exciting ever happens at the palace.

At least, nothing exciting ever happens on _my_ shift. Of course, I hear guys talking about this person trying to steal from the throne room, or some spy from a neighboring country being caught. But me? I never see any action.

It was better when I served on the border with Bosco. At least then I could fight. I didn't enlist to stand around and hold a sword, like one of the empty tin suits of armor lining the wall.

Erza says that it's an important job that needs to be done. When I first heard the word "spy," my head was filled with images of esponiage, adventure, and thrilling chases.

Nope.

More like knee cramps, boredom, and the occasional patrol. The king rarely mentions anything that could be of use; it's mostly the same-old "kill that person" or "I hate dragons."

I yawn, checking the clock. The king is returning from Bosco today, with their prince in tow. The missing princess's future husband.

"Wanna play a game of hackey-sack?" I hear a voice behind me, and sigh inwardly.

"No, I don't. Go back to your post, Zane." I say grouchily.

Said guard just laughs, sitting precariously on the banister. He has three green bars on his shoulder, the same symbol painted on mine. We're both the same rank, but Zane has a tendency to break the rules.

"Ya ready for tonight, Fullbuster? Our favorite person is coming!" He laughs again, looking perfectly at home in the palace halls.

"Ugh. Please don't remind me."

"Whaddya say we have some fun—pull a prank, something small. It can't hurt." He suggests.

"Yeah, right. Like we could get away with a prank on his royal highness." I reply. "Man, I hate him. Him and that bastard of a King. It's no wonder the princess ran away."

He looks taken aback by my statement, and I mentally punch myself in the face.

"Dude, you can't go talking like that. He'll have your head."

I sigh. "I know. But be honest, do you really think going after the princess is okay? If I received a commission to search, I know I wouldn't accept. I couldn't live with myself if I was the one who ruined the poor girl's life."

He looks at me suspiciously. "Wow. I mean, yeah, it's not cool, but you're talking about directly disobeying orders."

I look away. "I prefer to put my morals ahead of duty."

"It's treason." He warns. "I might not be a tattle, but be careful talking like that."

"Indeed." My eyes widen at the deeper voice resounding from behind us. I turn, and feel my heart drop into my shoes when I stare into the face of none other than our crown prince, Malachi. "Captain Fullbuster, was it?"

I see Zane blanch, slinking away. "See ya around, Fullbuster."

The prince watches him go, his brown eyes narrowed. After several moments of silence, he turns. "Walk with me, will you?"

I can't refuse, so I follow him down the hall. He doesn't speak for a long time, until we enter the outdoor courtyard. Here he stops and looks around briefly. "I'm sure you're confused by now."

I nod my head. "Very."

He takes a deep breath. "Captain Fullbuster, you're different from the other guards. Not as loyal to the King."

My heart thuds to a stop. Have I been found out? "Y-your highness, I would never dream of—"

He holds up a hand. "If I am correct in my observations, you despise the King, to the point where you would rather see someone else ruling in his place. Is this true?"

I almost stammer out a denial, but I realize that it is pointless. Prince Malachi is very good at detecting lies. "It is true."

He nods, expecting the answer. "I am in need of a few allies here in the castle."

I look up from the ground, confused. I had assumed he would be angry. "I'm not sure I understand."

"What I mean is, I am planning to overthrow my father." He states bluntly, stunning me out of my bewilderment. My eyes grow wide, staring at the prince in disbelief.

"His reign has been dark and horrible, and the people need a better leader. And from what I've seen, it's safe to assume that you think the same."

I don't deny it. Instead, tiny flames of hope spring to life in my chest. "You're really serious?"

He nods. "Captain Fullbuster. What do you say you and I form a—well, an alliance. In the hope of a better future."

I look at him, at his piercing stare, shining with determination, and I realize that he's not kidding. It takes me two seconds to decide. "I'm in."

This earns a smile. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll be seeing you around then, captain."

"Yeah, alright." I mutter back. The thought enters my mind: How on earth will I explain this to Erza?

With this new development, I have no idea how things will turn out. But right now I need to focus on telling my red-haired friend about this, preferably with all my limbs intact.

 **Meh. Okay I'm done with this. I know the last bit was kind rushed because I am sleep deprived and the writing probably sucks but, hey, can you blame me? I just discovered InuYasha and I have once again been sucked into the magical realm of binge-watching. If you've never heard of it go watch it right now. I'm on episode 55 and can I just say this show is amazing I love it so much it takes second place on the ultimate anime list. Of course Fairy Tail is first because Nalu. (obviously)**

 **Happy Finals Week! I'm gonna go eat creampuffs now. Sayonara!**


	9. Engagement

Chapter 9

 **SOOO sorry guys, yes I know I haven't updated in foreevveeerr and I really don't have any excuses except that I'm really lazy.**

 **Just watched Tangled and decided that it is the best Disney romance ever. Flynn and Rapunzel are my OTP. Is that sad that I'm in high school and still watch Disney movies?**

 **Here's chapter 9.**

 **Lucy's POV**

I stare up at my closet, feeling daunted. Formal? What's that even supposed to mean? Should I go with a long skirt or a short skirt? Should I wear my hair up or down? And how much Jewelry should I wear?

I sink onto the bed, thoroughly befuddled. At the palace, I always had stylists to tell me what to wear for every event. Now I actually have to make all the decisions.

"Hey Lucy! Are you ready yet?" A voice asks, and I turn to see Natsu leaning against the doorframe.

I sigh, lying back on the quilt. "Not at all. I have absolutely no clue what to wear to this thing!"

He shrugs. "Just wear a dress. Isn't that what girls usually wear for everything?"

I look at my friend. He's wearing a tux, which looks strange in place of his usual open vest. He looks pretty uncomfortable, but it's for our friends, so we all want to make it extra special.

"What kind of dress? Ugh, you have it so easy and you don't even know!"

"Okay, well, people will be here soon. Hurry up." He calls over his shoulder, walking down the hall.

"I know, I know." I groan and stand up. Tonight, everyone from Fairy Tail is coming. When Levy and Gajeel announced their engagement, Mira, Lisanna, and I all planned a party to celebrate the occasion. It's the biggest cause for celebration since Mira and Laxus got married a year ago, or so I'm told.

Finally, I throw on a flame-colored gown that tapers at the waist and then flows down to my ankles. Like everything else in my closet, it belonged to Natsu's sister at one time. I pin my hair up into a bun, letting a few strands hang loose. Facing the mirror, I take a deep breath. One more thing.

I reach into a drawer and pull out the necklace I found a few months before, when I first arrived here. It glistens in the candlelight, the wings of the little glass fairy shimmering. I put it on, appreciating the light weight of the necklace just below my collarbone.

Okay. It's time.

I step out of my room hesitantly, very aware of my heeled shoes tapping against the cold stone floor. This is it.

I make my way through the corridors, which are all alight with the fading sunlight and flickering candles. It opens out onto the grand staircase, to a picture perfect ballroom that could rival those at my father's palaces.

I smile, watching MiraJane and her brother arrange buffet tables while Lisanna bustles about placing trays of pastries and snacks on said tables. Happy is helping Carla and Wendy wax the entire ballroom, which has never looked better.

Natsu walks up behind me. "Lucy! Finally, it's about time. Geez, why do girls always take so long getting ready?"

"We have reputations to keep up. You men don't." I laugh, turning to face him.

Natsu's expression changes immediately. He stares, not saying anything, like he's forgotten how to speak.

I let out small, nervous laugh. "Umm, Natsu?"

He looks at me like I've come from another planet, but after a few moments he shakes himself, and is back to normal, but not looking at me. His cheeks have flushed a little bit. "You look nice."

It sounds weird to hear it coming from his mouth. All my life I've been doted on by servants and nobles trying to flatter me, but coming from Natsu…

"So do you. Wow, Natsu. In that tux, you almost look like a prince." I laugh and nudge his shoulder playfully.

He chuckles a little bit, resting his elbows on the railing. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, something flashes in the back of his eyes, like he's remembering something painful. He turns away. "I'm going to go check on the food."

He leaves me standing there, a little bit bewildered. I shake it off, thinking I imagined the anguish hidden deep in his eyes. "Lisanna! Need any help?"

As I throw myself into preparing for the celebration, I watch Natsu from across the room. What is he not telling me? There was something there.

Finally, the party guests arrive, and the festivities are set in motion.

"Levy! Congratulations! I'm so happy for both of you." I say as I pull away from our hug. "You look great together."

"Thanks, Lu-chan. It was really nice of you and Natsu to host this." She says. She looks gorgeous in a yellow strapless dress that enhances her small figure. Gajeel stands not too far away in his suit and tie, talking to other Fairy Tail members.

"It's no problem. The place needed a party." I smile, looking around the room. With this many people, it comes alive.

Levy grins. "I'll bet you're the master of parties, being a princess and all."

"Well, I don't know about that."

Music starts up from across the room. Levy looks startled, glancing around in confusion. "Where's that music coming from?"

"A lacrima. Natsu had one in his storage."

"You _are_ a party wizard! That's great, Lucy!"

"Ahem, ladies?" Gajeel steps into the conversation before I can humbly deny the statement. "Mind if I steal Levy for a dance?"

I giggle. "She's all yours!"

I watch them swirl out onto the ballroom floor, the first couple to start the dance. They look adorable together. I wish I had such a simple relationship; meet, fall in love, get married. No betrothals, no arranged marriages.

I can't help sighing a little.

"Lucy! There you are." Mira comes toward me with Cana close behind. "Are you gonna go dance with Natsu?"

I cough. "What? No, why would you think that?"

They share a conspiratory look.

"Stop kidding yourself, Lucy. He likes you, it's obvious." Cana says a little too loudly.

"N-no, you've really got the wrong idea." I stammer. That idea seems impossible.

Mira smiles. "Uh-huh. You like him. He likes you. You'll have such beautiful little fire-breathing children!"

"Mira, really?" Cana reprimands.

"Look, there's not a chance. Logistically. Imagine it, a dragon and a princess? It couldn't happen!" I say, though the words don't seem very convincing.

"Well, not just any dragon," Mira says slyly.

"Mira!" Cana says in warning.

"Natsu's father was Igneel, the King of the Dragons. They had a mighty empire, until the Great Dragon Purge, when the King used tricks and traps to wipe out dragonkind. So really, Natsu is the only surviving heir to the Dragneel dynasty." Mira says, dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Wait, Natsu is a _prince?!"_ I say, forgetting to keep my voice down. Cana groans, puts a hand over her eyes, and walks away.

Mira covers my mouth quickly. "Shh! The only people that know are Gray, Erza, Me, and my siblings."

"Oh." I say, staring at the pink haired man from across the room. "I didn't think…what am I saying, I can't believe I didn't realize. He lives in a palace for goodness sake."

Mira smiles, like always. Laxus comes toward us to ask his wife for a dance.

"Go ask him! He's a good dancer." She says with a wink. Her belly is pretty swollen by now, the baby is due in a few months. I'm glad she found happiness.

I watch from the sidelines as couples take to the floor. I breathe a sigh of contentment, and realize that I've finally found a family in Fairy Tail. I look around the room, at all of their smiling faces, and I know that if it came down to it, I would give anything for these people who I've only known a few months.

I've been to many balls in my lifetime. Hundreds, in fact. But I've never once enjoyed myself before tonight. Even just watching people dance makes me happy.

A familiar someone clears his throat behind me. "Sitting on the sidelines, are we?"

I smile to myself, knowing he can't see because he's behind me. "I'm not a good dancer."

"Yeah, and I don't breathe fire." He scoffs.

"No, really." I say, facing him.

"Seventeen years spent in a castle and you can't dance? Oh, the horror. A shame to her country." He clutches his chest in mock dismay, eyes glinting playfully.

"Ha-ha. You do a pretty good impression of my tutor." I groan, rolling my eyes.

He grabs my hand. "C'mon, princess. You can't fool me. Let's see if you can keep up."

"W-wait, Natsu!" I protest as he pulls me onto the floor, sweeping into the rhythm of the music.

My hands and feet perform the steps without me even thinking about it. It's so habitual that it's almost like breathing.

Natsu and I, surprisingly, are in perfect sync. It's quite a peppy dance, full of swirls and spins that leave me breathless at the end. As the last stanza comes to a close, I look at Natsu with new eyes.

"You can dance." I say, sweating a little.

He's just as winded, but grinning from ear to ear. "I could say the same about you. Not too bad for a princess."

I laugh, fanning myself with one hand. It's a stupid girly habit I picked up as a pre-teen. "You _wish_ you could dance as well as me."

He shrugs. "One more song?"

"Why not, it _is_ a ball, right?" I say.

As the music starts up, he holds up a hand. "I've got a better idea."

I pull the door shut behind me, laughing. " _This_ is your better idea?"

We're on the balcony attached to the ballroom, which is pretty expansive. You could host a dinner party here, and we can still hear the music drifting out from the ballroom.

"Why not? I bet you've never ditched a ball in your life." He grins, that irritating yet somehow endearing grin of his.

"You speak like you've had experience." I look around, and on an impulse, kick off my heels, stowing them in a plant. I wiggle my bare toes on the smooth stone. "Better."

Natsu stares in amazement, then throws his head back and laughs aloud. "Well, why not."

He pulls off his shoes and chucks them off of the balcony.

"Natsu! You'll have a hard time getting them back, you know that?" I say.

"Who cares? They're just shoes." He shrugs.

"What a noble you'd make." I laugh, picturing him barefoot in front of courtiers and ambassadors.

"A great one. Allow me to demonstrate." He clears his throat, looking suddenly serious, and bowing perfectly. "My Lady, Princess Lucy, I beg that you forgive my barefooted state, but nevertheless, might you do me the honor of a dance?"

I giggle, curtseying. "You flatter me, noble sir. It would be my pleasure."

He stands up straight, stifling a laugh. I place my hand on his shoulder, and he places his hand on my waist, grasping my free hand with his own. It's a slow dance, relaxed and uncomplicated. We sway back and forth across the balcony, the stars as our audience.

"So tell me, my lady, do you always prefer to dance barefooted?" He asks, adding in a horrendous Bosconian accent.

"Why, of course. In my country, a lady is expected to remove her shoes before entering a ballroom. We even have servants to hold our shoes for us. The ballroom is given a full sanitation before and after every ball." I say, acting as pompous as possible. I decide to take it a step further. "And of course, the men must always wear yellow and green striped socks to show their loyalty to Fiore."

"Is that so? And why is that?" He asks.

"Isn't it obvious? Because they're the king's favorite colors." I say.

"Ahh, silly me." Natsu grimaces at the mention of the king. "It wouldn't be my first choice."

"Well then, it's a good thing we don't actually wear green and yellow socks at balls." I reassure him.

He smiles down at me. I feel a slight blush creep over my cheeks. In the moonlight, his hair turns silver, like something out of a fairy tale.

The music changes again, to some fast-paced salsa song. Instead of picking up the dance, Natsu stops, staring at me intently.

I look at him, puzzled. "Natsu?"

His arm is still around my waist, even though we're no longer dancing. He's still staring at me. "You just—um, look….different."

An eyebrow shoots up right away. "Different? What's that supposed to mean?!"

He lets go of me, rubbing the back of his neck. "I dunno, just…different. It's a good different."

Bewildered, I shake my head. Why does it matter to me so much what he thinks?

Before I can reply, the balcony doors open. "There you are. I was wondering where you'd be."

"Erza?" I exclaim.

The red-head woman looks stunning in a dark blue party dress, a drastic change from the armor I'd seen her in last time. I almost didn't recognize her.

"I just came to congratulate Levy and Gajeel on their engagement. But I thought I'd check in on the two of you while I was here." She states, not bothering to ask what we're doing on the balcony.

"Oh, yeah, that's right." Natsu stammers. "Everything's going pretty well here, I guess."

Erza nods. "I just spoke with Porlyusica."

Natsu and I exchange a wary glance.

"Porlyusica? What did she say?" I ask.

"She just wanted me to remind you to be careful. It's only been two months or so; you've got a long time to wait before you can really go anywhere." She replies.

"Oh." I say softly, remembering with a start the promise I made. A slight blush creeps over my cheeks. I'd forgotten. "I'm going to go back in, get to know everyone."

I walk away without looking at Natsu, but I can't get him out of my head. He's a prince. A dragon prince. And if it weren't for me and my family, he would still have his crown.

"Lucy! There you are, I was wondering where you'd gone." Cana comes over with a glass of wine, which I guess isn't her first.

As she starts to talk about how great the food is, I start to space out. What was it back there…Natsu looked at me almost like…

"Lucy? Earth to Lucy? Hellloo?" Cana waves her hand in front of my face.

I shake my head. "Sorry, I was distracted. What was that?"

 _Snap out of it, Lucy! What is wrong with me?_ I think to myself. I resolve not to think about him again for the night.

 **No POV**

Erza watched Lucy leave, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. The pair had definitely grown close, she had seen it in the comfortable way they stood next to each other.

"Natsu…How many times have you changed?" She asked.

Natsu looked out into the night. "Not once. Not since I kidnapped her."

She examined his expression. "Not once, you say? Doesn't it usually happen every few weeks?"

He let out a breath. "Yeah. I don't know what's happening."

"Well be sure that when you do transform, the princess is well out of the way. You know you can't control it." She warned.

"Do you think I haven't already thought of that?" He replied, suddenly agitated. "I worry about it all the time. I'll transform, I'll forget myself, I'll end up hurting Lucy."

"You never hurt us."

"But you were tough. You and Gray had already seen what a dragon could do; that's why you knew to stay out of the way." He said.

"Lucy's tough. In a different way. She's a survivor if I've ever seen one."

"Maybe you're right. But Lucy isn't a wizard." Natsu ran a hand through his hair.

They were silent for a few moments. "Natsu?"

"Hmm?"

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" She said.

"Wh-what? No! Why would I be in love with Lucy?" Natsu laughed nervously.

"Stop kidding yourself, Natsu." She turned away, shouting over her shoulder.

She shut the doors behind her, leaving him alone.

He looked after her for several seconds. "Maybe you're right."

 **There you have it, chapter 9. Have a great life and don't do stupid things like get within fifty feet of a forty foot whale in a kayak like I did the other day. It was cool.**

 **Yeah, okay love you guys. Bye. Next chapter hopefully soon but I couldn't help starting a new Fairy Tail story called "Vengeance" which I haven't posted yet because I don't want it to get in the way of finishing this, but I am super excited about it, so look out for it sometime maybe this summer!**

 **Kay bye now.**


	10. confession

**Chapter 10**

 **Nothing feels better than opening my email and being spammed by follows and favorites after publishing a new chapter. Seriously, you guys are the best!**

 **Warning: Umm, fluff. I'm really sorry for putting this right after last chapter (in which we saw our hero, Natsu, confess his love for the princess.) Here's the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: yes, I totally own fairy tail. Why do people even write these things? It's obvious that I am NOT Hiro Mashima….Or am I?**

 **Lucy's POV**

 _Music. Drifting through the air, mingling with the scent of roses that seems ever-present in the royal palace. There is no orchestra to be seen, I scan the room to find the source of the music but find none. It's empty, save for a few guards standing watch along the walls. I stand in the center of the throne room. Where is everyone?_

 _I walk over to the two great doors and give them a tug. They don't budge, meaning I'm stuck in this room. I drop the handles with a sigh of resignation. Whoever locked me in doesn't want me to leave._

 _I return to the center of the room, noticing the itchy tightness of my dress. The gown is made from expensive satin, complete with a stiff corset and embarrassingly low neckline. I squirm; I haven't worn such a restrictive garment in several months because of…because of what? I can't remember._

 _Suddenly there is another presence in the room. I look up, and there's my father sitting on his golden throne. His aged eyes are cold and calculating, he opens his mouth to speak one harsh, booming word. "Dance."_

 _His voice strikes a small amount of fear in my chest, and I look around, confused. Dance?_

 _That's when I turn to see a third person present: My brother, Malachi. He looks me in the eyes with affection. "Hey sis."_

" _Dance!" His voice commands again._

 _My arms move without my instruction, and before I realize what's happening, My brother and I are waltzing across the floor. My legs, my feet, my arms, they no longer obey me. Panic wells in my chest, and I realize that there are strings—tied at my wrists, feet, elbows, fingers, like marionette strings. And my father is the puppet master._

 _Stop! I cry out in my mind. Stop!_

 _I struggle against it, against our perfect performance. My feet won't stop, my hands won't let go._

 _Finally, with a shout of victory, I feel it: One of the strings has snapped. I feel my body tumble to the floor, and I am free. I stumbled and fell, but at least I now have some control._

" _LUCY!" My father's voice booms. I look up to see him standing over me, hand raised to strike. I close my eyes and wait for the blow, but it doesn't come. Instead, I hear crackling, and intense heat floods the room. I look, and there are flames everywhere, burning the curtains, my clothes, the strings. My father is screaming, slowly turning to ash and blowing away into nothing. I feel nothing. Even as the flames surround me, I am fine._

 _Just as soon as they came, the flames are gone, whisked away in the blink of an eye. There are no more guards, I look up from the cold floor to see that the ballroom has transformed. The whole place is sparkling white, with open windows and sunlight drifting through. To my amazement, even my clothes have changed—I'm wearing a light sundress, drastically different from the restraining ballgown. I get up from the floor and look around, awestruck. Not a trace of my father is left; no paintings or guards or thrones._

 _There's my brother, looking out over Fiore through an open window. There's another man there with him, with unusual pink hair, which works surprisingly well for him._

" _Natsu?!" I call._

 _They turn, and he smiles warmly. "Hey Luce!"_

" _Natsu!" I run toward them, laughing. I'm a few feet away when they both disappear, still smiling. I stop, disappointed, when in their place stands someone new: a grouchy healer who I haven't seen in a long time. Porlyusica._

 _She opens her mouth to speak one simple command. "STAY AWAY!"_

 _What? Why is she here?_

" _STAY AWAY!"_

I bolt upright in my bed, half-expecting Porlyusica to still be here. Daylight sifts in through the curtains, and the clock reads seven o' clock. As my breathing slows to a normal pace, I sink back into my pillows. What a crazy dream.

I've been having dreams like this for a few days since the ball. It's all because of that stupid promise I made to Porlyusica a few months ago. Stay away from Natsu. And, well, I don't really want to. The more time I spend with him, the happier I am. He's a great friend, maybe more than a great friend.

 _Stay away from Natsu._

I don't want to…but maybe it's for the best. I don't want him or anyone from Fairy Tail to get hurt because of me. If I get any closer, it will be a lot harder to leave when the time comes. I know I can't stay here once my six months of hiding are up. I'll have to go, maybe become a farmer in some secluded village somewhere. The risks are too high otherwise.

I've made up my mind. I'll have to make good on my promise. It doesn't matter how I feel. In the end, the only thing that matters is keeping everyone safe.

I let out a sigh and close my eyes. It's going to be a long three months.

Natsu is out doing a few things in the town, so I don't have to worry about facing him at the moment. I throw on a pair of pants and a tank top and head downstairs to eat breakfast.

I'm in the process of frying up some eggs when Happy comes flying in. "Hey Lucy! I'm going to Magnolia today! See ya!"

"W-Wait! Happy, hold up a second." I say, turning down the heat on the stove.

"What's up?" He asks, plopping down on the table.

"Take these, I fried em up for you." I say, handing him a lunch sack full of fried trout.

He grins, taking the bag in his paws. "Thanks Lucy! You're the best. Bye!"

"Bye!" I say as he flies away.

Once again, I'm alone in the Kitchen, left to do whatever. I finish breakfast quickly, then wander the castle for a while, bored.

"Jeez, there's nothing to do around here with Natsu and Happy gone." I say to myself, flopping on a couch in the lounge. I want to go outside, run around in the sun, but nooo, it's 'too risky.' Because I'll be spotted by soldiers if I so much as step outside my house.

Finally, after a few hours, I hear the front doors open and shut. Natsu's home!

I immediately scold myself. _Remember your promise._ A little voice says.

"Hey Luce! I'm back!" He shouts from the entry.

I take a deep breath to calm myself and put on a neutral composure.

"Oh, hey." I greet him casually as I make my way down the stairwell.

 _Stop it! You're acting like a giddy little girl. You CAN'T have any feelings for him, so stay away. You promised._

"I had an idea today. I mean, it's so hot out and all, at least that's what everyone _said_ , I wouldn't know, but you told me that you've never been to the ocean once, so that's where we're going today." He says, as if we aren't two fugitives from the whole nation.

"Umm, Natsu, I don't know, maybe not today." I say uncomfortably, trying to think of a believable excuse for avoiding Natsu.

"Today's the best day for it! C'mon, it'll be fun." He says, not even bothering to look at my expression, which is good, because my face must tell it all.

"I-It's too dangerous, I'll get caught." I say, trying again.

He stands up straight. "With me around? Like that would ever happen."

"You're just one person." I say.

He meets my eyes. "So are you. But you managed to get half the army looking for you."

"Exactly."

"Hurry up and pack some things, I'll get some food ready to take with us." He says.

Finally I relent. "No cooking, though. Don't forget how bad it was last time."

"Right. No cooking." With a smile, he shoos me up stairs with a spatula.

The sand. The breeze. The waves crashing against the shore. It's all so beautiful, I'm surprised my parents never brought me here as a young girl.

I take in a deep breath of the salty air. "So this is the beach."

Natsu grins, carrying our basket. "Yup. This is what you've been missing out on. Race ya!"

"Wh-Wha?! Wait, Natsu!" I hurry after him, finding it hard to run in the sand.

When I catch up, breathing hard, he is unfolding one large towel and spreading it across the sand. He looks up at me. "There's nobody here. It's perfect."

"What, because nobody will recognize us?" I say, not fully understanding.

He flashes another grin. "Because we get the whole beach to ourselves!"

We break out the food before doing anything else. Natsu packed sandwiches, cookies, and a canteen of water. I give him a quizzical look as I inspect my sandwich, but he just scoffs.

"Relax, I bought them from the bakery." He assures me. We both know his cooking could poison some innocent person.

I take a bite, savoring the flavor of tomatoes, turkey, and lettuce. Natsu just chucks the whole thing in his mouth and swallows, which I find repulsive. "Natsu, really?"

He gulps it down and gives me a grin when he sees my expression. "Lighten up, princess. You've gotta live every now and then."

"I don't see what that's got to do with anything." I protest, before seeing the mischievious twinkle in his eyes. "Natsu…Oh, no you don't, don't even think about it—ack!"

And suddenly I'm upside-down and being carried at a sprint toward the crashing waves. Natsu's laughter is loud in my ear. "Stop it! Are you crazy?! Naaaattttsssuuuuuu!"

His feet splash in the water, and I experience the sudden feeling of being dropped. Cool water engulfs my body, playing with my hair and making it sparkle in the sunlight. The taste of bitter salt fills my mouth, and then my head breaks above the water again. As I stand there spluttering in the waist-high water, I catch Natsu laughing.

"You idiot! All our clothes are wet! We have nothing to change into after this!" I giggle, trying to sound at least a little angry but failing miserably.

"Hah! You should have seen the look on your face." He says, still grinning from ear to ear.

I scowl at him, looking down at my sundress, which is wet and sticking uncomfortably to my body. I'm not going to just let him get away with that.

"Darn it, Natsu!"

I throw myself at him, shoving him playfully onto his rump in the water. His shocked expression is priceless as he resurfaces, and he doesn't hesitate before dunking my head below the waves.

"Ack! Now you're asking for it!" I squeal, splashing water into his face. He chuckles and wades a little further out, where the water is up to his shoulders

"Come and get me then!" He taunts from where he stands.

I sigh and roll my eyes, lifting the soaking wet sundress over me head with difficulty. I'm wearing a swimsuit under it, of course, a white bikini with pink flowers on the top. I toss the sundress back to where our things are and splash further into the water.

Natsu laughs and wades deeper out, to where he's barely able to stand. I manage to get within a few feet before another step nearly submerges my head.

Natsu splashes me playfully. "What's the matter, too short?"

"Darn you! Come back here!" I splutter, as a wave splashes against my mouth. I'm maybe two feet away, and he just crosses his arms, which irritates me even more.

"Come on, Lucy. You can do better than that." He says, and all of a sudden he's no longer there. A moment later something grabs my foot, dragging me away from the shore, and I let out a scream, kicking out at him.

Without warning I go under, and experience a moment of panic when I'm being dragged along and can't breath. It seems like several minutes that I'm flailing under the water, but Natsu lets go and I take a gasp of air as I feel precious air against my skin again.

That's when I realize that my feet aren't touching the ground anymore, and I can't keep my head up. My arms and legs flail for something stable to grab hold of. "Aaaflgh…..Natsuurgh….I(gasp)…cantt (glup)….swrrm!"

He doesn't do anything, just stands there, a little puzzled. "What are you talking about? Everyone knows how to swim!"

I struggle there, and he _doesn't do a thing._ The thought crosses my mind that I might actually die today. How ironic, I can see the headlines. 'Princess Lucy Heartfilia drowns a few feet from shore while idiot dragon looks on.'

"Natssgh! Heurph!" I scream, feeling water fill my mouth. My head starts to sink under. _This is it. This is the end for me._

Suddenly a pair of strong arms wrap around me, and I feel my body lifted so that my head is up out of the water. Natsu rolls his eyes. "Geez, Luce. Quit being so dramatic, you're not gonna drown."

I gasp, breathing in air, tasting sweet oxygen. "I can't swim, you idiot!"

"You were fine. I'm _right here._ "

"How is that supposed to be comforting?" I object.

He sighs. "Princesses."

I let out a humph, and now that my life is no longer in imminent danger, I am suddenly very aware of the warmth of his body and the fact that I am pressed against him in a very compromising situation, neither of us wearing more than our swimming suits.

"L-let me down, Natsu, I'm fine." I say, turning away so he can't see me blushing.

"You just said that you can't swim." He points out.

I huff. "Where I can actually stand."

He shrugs, then lets go of me. The second I feel myself start to sink, I freak out and cling to his bicep as if it is the difference between life and death.

He chuckles. "So much for that, right princess?"

I blush. "Natsu, stop it, I really can't swim."

He looks down at me for a moment, then his green eyes spark as if he has an idea. "You can learn. Come on, I'll show you."

"I don't really think that's a very good ide—whah!"

He pulls me out into the waves, where he treads lightly in the sparkling clear water. "The first step is to figure out how to float. You have to relax your whole body."

I cling on to his arm like a vice as he tries go coax me into relaxation. "Come on. You've got to let go before you can do anything else."

I shake my head, grumbling. "I'll drown."

"No you won't."

"I will."

He groans, lifts me up over his shoulder and chucks me, screaming, a few feet away.

I flail, bobbing up and down, my feet just barely brushing the sand below on occasion. I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't breathe!

"I'm not coming to the rescue until you learn how to relax." Natsu says, folding his arms.

"Are yvvvo cragghlg? I c-(gag) can't!"

"Yes you can." He says confidently. Left with no choice, I let my limbs go limp, fully expecting myself to sink to the bottom.

Instead, the opposite happens: I find myself rising up, resting at the very top of the water. The sun is shining on my face, and for one moment I feel complete bliss.

Just one moment though. I soon realize that I forgot to panic, and begin flailing again.

"You had it for a second! Do it again!" He encourages me from a safe distance away.

"WHY CAN"T YOU SEE THAT I AM DROWNING!?" I wail in response.

He groans, and reaches out to me. "Chill. Just let yourself go limp, I've got you."

I feel his hands just barely touching my back, steadying my body as it relaxes again. I can't help it; I go limp the moment I am safe.

He's barely touching me, but I'm floating. Pretty much on my own, on my back in the ocean. I take a deep, shaky breath, and resist the urge to kick my legs.

"There you go, you're doing it!" Natsu cheers, removing his arms from beneath me. In amazement, I experiment by moving my arms, propelling myself backward.

"I'm doing it!" I echo, giddy with the feeling of triumph. No sooner do I say the words do I stiffen up and start to sink again. "Ack! Natsu!"

He's there in an instant, supporting me so I can keep my head out of the water.

We practice like that for a few hours, until I can paddle around on my own. Finally, we trudge back to the beach, exhausted.

 **Natsu's POV**

The sun seems like a big ball of red fire, low over the water. I'm already starting to dry off, the droplets of water on my chest evaporating in what seems like a few seconds. I rub a towel roughly through my hair, which stands up in wet spikes.

I toss the towel aside and sit down on the blanket next to Lucy, who has put her now dry sundress back on, huddled in a blanket. We sit there in silence for several minutes, letting the fading sunlight dry us off.

I look out over the water, which sparkles cheerfully. Despite the fact that I have fire powers, water has always been one of my favorite things. It's almost as if it balances out the dragon part of me, making me almost human.

"Thanks, Natsu." Lucy murmurs beside me. I turn to meet her warm, tired eyes. "It was a good day."

I smile. I can't help it; making Lucy happy somehow makes me feel like I'm doing okay at life. "Well, every princess should know how to swim."

"And why is that?" She asks.

"Because if you're ever on a boat, and if that boat is taken over by pirates, and if the pirates are mean and try to make you walk the plank, and if you have to walk the plank, then you can swim back home." I tell her, the explanation sounding absurd on my lips.

I am rewarded by a small laugh from my princess. "But I'm not a princess anymore, Natsu. You know that."

"Sure you are. You always will be."

Silence for a few moments. Her eyes are thoughtful, staring out over the ocean. "What about you?"

I look at her, clueless. "Hmm? What do you mean by that?"

The blond girl flushes slightly, avoiding my gaze. "Sorry, it's just that Mira told me about…You know…"

"No, I don't know. What are you talking about, Lucy? Speak English." I say, confused as ever.

She lets out a breath. "She just explained to me who your family was. That your father was King Igneel, which makes you…" She breaks off, leaving the unspoken words hanging between us.

I don't look her in the eyes, aimlessly tossing a small rock across the sand. "it means I used to be a prince."

She nods.

"Well, I'm just a normal person now. Maybe a little on the eccentric side, but everything that ever made my family important is gone." I explain. Some emotion passes through my chest. Whether it's anger, frustration, sadness, or even happiness, it's hard to say. All I know is that I don't want to remember things that I've tried so hard to forget.

She stares at me with soft, warm eyes. "We're in the same boat, then."

"I guess so."

We sit there for a while, watching the waves crash onto the beach. Neither of us talk, we just sit in companionable silence. It's not awkward; I'm glad that I don't feel the need to fill silence with small talk.

After a few minutes I feel a small weight on my shoulder, and look down to find that the princess has fallen asleep—passed out on my shoulder. I look down at her sleeping form, her eyelashes fluttering softly with every breath.

It strikes me that in a few months, she'll be gone, and I'll never see her again. I realize that I really, desperately don't want that to happen. She's the first true friend I've found in a long time; I mean, sure, Erza, Gray, Mira, they're all like family. But she's different from the rest.

She's strong, even though she can't fight or defend herself well at all. She's brave, and she's kind, as opposite as she could be from her c, she's smart, she's everything that I think would make a good princess. And yet here she is, hiding out with someone like me, who never lived up to what everyone expected and couldn't save his kingdom from destruction.

How do you know when you've found the one? The person who you were meant to stay with your whole life?

I remember my father once told me that you know you are in love when you don't want to go to sleep, because reality is finally better than your dreams.

I always thought that was stupid, but now…now I wonder.

I toss most of our things into the basket, very careful not to wake Lucy. The sound of the surf is lulling, and I feel my own eyes begin to shut.

No, wait, I can't sleep. Who'll protect Lucy?

Muffled voices are shouting in the distance. It sounds vaguely like a large group of men. Getting closer…

I jerk myself awake. Men. Shouting. Coming this way.

"Lucy!" I hiss, standing up suddenly.

"hmm…"She complains, jarred awake by my sudden movement.

"Get up now! There's soldiers coming!" I shake her shoulders, hurriedly putting on my vest and grabbing my scarf.

"What?!" She almost shouts, suddenly awake.

"There they are! We found em, men! After them!" A deep, booming male voices orders. The light of torches shines from within a group of thirty or so soldiers.

"Come on Lucy! Run for it!" I shout.

We sprint away from the shore. I make sure I'm behind Lucy; I can't afford to leave her behind.

We dash through the streets, the soldiers close in pursuit, and I realize quickly that we'll never outrun them.

So we'll have to outsmart them.

"Lucy! This way!" I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward a back alley.

We run between the two towering buildings, and I smile when we come up against a brick wall.

"Natsu! It's a dead end!" Lucy shrieks.

"Yes it is." I confirm, giving her a reassuring smile. "Up and over!"

Before she can protest, I lift her up over the brick wall, and hear her land with a thump on the other side. I scale the wall quickly, relieved to find her unhurt on the other side.

"Hurry up. Let's get out of her." I whisper, helping her up. The sounds of frustration from the soldiers follows us as we sprint, together, deeper into the town.

 **Lucy's POV**

We're both breathing hard, leaning against the brick wall for support. The sound of footsteps in the distance echoes through the streets, letting us know that we're still not quite safe.

"That was way too close." I pant, running a hand through my damp hair to straighten it.

"Yeah. No kidding." Natsu peers around the corner. "That dad of yours is really starting to annoy me."

"Same. Jeez, why can't he just let me go already?" I groan, slumping against the brick. "He never paid any attention to me before I ran away!"

Natsu stares at me, his eyes thoughtful for a few moments. I notice for the first time the way the green colors flicker like gentle tongues of flame. "Even if you were captured…you wouldn't marry him, would you?"

For some reason I hear a faint hint of jealousy in his voice. It must be his overprotective side kicking in.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I wouldn't. I'd stab him through the heart first, if he had one." I scoff.

Natsu laughs, still sweating from our chase. "Wow. Getting a little violent there, aren't you?"

"I would, if I had to." I say with chin held high.

At this I only earn more chuckles from my pink haired friend. "Whatever you say, princess."

I fix him with my best glare, but he's smiling, and I can never stay mad at him. In a few moments I feel my mouth, against orders, turn up into a smile. "Oh, whatever. Let's get back, I'm cold."

I start to head back out the way we came, when suddenly his hand wraps tight around my wrist.

"Huh—what the he—mmph." He clamps his hand over my mouth, efficiently shutting me up and pulling me deeper into the safety of the shadows. I can feel my heart doing a relay in my chest as the sound of footsteps nears, the sound of even more soldiers than before.

Natsu quickly puts me behind him. I can hear them getting closer. Squished between Natsu and the wall, I'm suddenly glad that he can't see my face, which is probably bright red. The soldiers pass us, and the noise becomes fainter again. Finally Natsu releases me, letting out a breath. I can't help feeling a little bit awkward, but I quickly shake it off. No matter how I feel, Natsu can't possibly feel the same. And besides, I've got my promise to keep.

"Sorry. Dragon hearing, ya know?" He winks and taps his ear.

I cross my arms. "Now can we go?"

He shrugs in response. "Hey, Luce?"

I look at him, exasperated. "What now?"

"Have you ever thought about overthrowing him?' He asks slowly.

For a few moments I gape in surprise, til I remember to close my mouth. "Overthrow…my father? You mean, like murder? Don't be stupid, natsu, I'm not a killer and you know it."

"But what if we were all free of him? Wouldn't it make fiore a better place? No families separated, no children living in constant fear. No one being hunted just for their abilities or their bloodline. Everyone could be equal. Heck, you'd be safe from your father and your could marry whoever you like." He stops here, looking at me with passion in his eyes, a sincerity I've never seen in him before. The boy standing in front of me, with wrinkled clothes and messy hair—he really cares about people. He would make a good king, albeit being a little dense sometimes. "Maybe I'm crazy, but if a new ruler arose in Fiore, one that could write the wrongs done by your father, I'm willing to bet people would follow him. Or her." At this he looks pointedly at me.

I let that sink in. A world like that just…doesn't happen. Besides, this is all anyone has ever known since my mother died. "Natsu…"

"If that bastard wasn't king, I wouldn't have to worry about protecting you." His voice softens a little bit, and he stares down the street with a far-off look in his eyes.

I feel a weight settle in my stomach. He doesn't really mean that, does he? Is it so much trouble having me around? I think about it for a long time, and neither of us speaks. Finally I get it out. "I'm sorry, Natsu, I didn't realize how much of a burden I am."

His head snaps up, surprised. "No, Luce, that's…..that's not what I meant at all."

I take in a shaky breath. "Then what _did_ you mean?"

Those green eyes of his look into mine for a single moment, catching me off guard with the maelstrom of flashing emotions within. Before I can fully comprehend what's happening, his lips are on mine and all logic is erased from my mind. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm thinking: What the heck? But on instinct, I kiss him back, not stopping to think about anything. I have to say, it's the best moment of my day.

Finally my thoughts unfreeze, and I pull away with a gasp. "What the heck, Natsu?"

I feel my face turn red, and try desperately to ignore the butterflies that have been let loose in my stomach. Natsu takes a deep breath, but he doesn't back down. "You're _not_ a burden, Lucy. Don't let anyone tell you that. If anything, meeting you was one of the best things that has ever happened to me."

This turn of events is so sudden I can do nothing but stand there stupidly.

"Look, Lucy. He can't make you do anything you don't want to do. No one can. But I—I don't ever want to loose you, and if that man is going to try and take you away against your will, I'll burn down his whole castle to get you back, because—" He takes a step closer, so that our foreheads are touching. I don't know what to think; all I know is that I desperately hope the words coming out of his mouth aren't some strange hallucination.

"Because I love you, Lucy Heartfilia. That's why." His says softly, his shaking breath tickling my skin, making my heart run a marathon.

I blink rapidly, feeling tears threaten to spill over. Not knowing what else to do, I wrap a hand around his neck and kiss him, trying to convey all my feelings through one single kiss.

And in the light of the setting sun, in a dark and dirty alleyway, I find my happiness.

 **BOOM. I did it. Idk how that went. I'm sure most of you are saying, "What the heck, DAPC? On chapter 10? Already?" But the thing is, I've reached what I call 'phase 3' which is just my own super cool terminology for the ship sailing. As you may have guessed, this isn't one of those romances where the couple get together in like the last chapter. Nope. Not this one. You'll see why.**

 **Sooo, yay! That's done. I am soooooo sorry that this chapter is so long. I had a lot to do to get ready for chapter 11. I did have a lot of fun writing it though.**

 **I hope you guys realize that I gave up homework time for y'all. Be grateful.**

 **Next chapter to be expected soon, but don't count on an immediate update. Knowing me, I will probably get super caught up in other stuff and if I don't have people actually reminding me to do it, then I forget.**

 **But I read fanfiction too, so I understand the pain of not knowing what happens next for weeks. I shall try my best, fair readers.**

 **Until Next time!**


	11. Found

**Chapter 11**

 **Hey guys! So I realized that many of you have pointed out that in one of my earlier chapters I told y'all that Lisanna was dead…then accidently brought her back to life in chapter 9 bc I couldn't remember if she was dead or not. Just to be clear, she IS dead, guys. Sorry about that, I hope I didn't seriously confuse anyone!**

 **Phew! So I'll fix that. Shoutout to everybody who pointed that out!**

 **I sincerely enjoyed writing that last chapter. What author doesn't like to write a kiss scene?**

 **Anyways, lets get back to Nalu. Here's chapter 11!**

 **Lucy's POV**

The sun rises over the Dragneel estate, setting everything aglow with fiery light. I flop over on the mattress, shoving my face into the pillow. Is it morning already?

I groan as light floods my bedroom. Even though the nights are starting to get longer, with the arrival of fall, it doesn't seem like I'm getting any more sleep.

The clock reads 6:30. I groan, slump out of bed, and land on the cold floor. I'll have to talk to Natsu about heat. Still half-asleep, I make my way to the closet and throw on a sweater and jeans.

It's been four months since that fateful night in the forest. The military is still searching for me, but I'm not worried. Even when they come here, they never think to search the castle.

I get the furnace going and start a small batch of scrambled eggs. The fire warms me up, and I let out a sigh. That's better.

Natsu is never one to just idly lie in bed for very long. He should be coming downstairs right about…now.

"Morning Lucy!" I hear. Natsu trudges down in a pair of shorts, looking like he's raring to go.

I smile. "Tone it down, Natsu, geez. Normal people aren't so cheerful first thing in the morning."

He grins and steals a coal out from under my frying pan, eating the flames off of it before snatching up another.

"Natsu! Stop it, I need those!" I protest. "Go get your own fire!"

He laughs and steals one more, before I move to block him from the fire with a groan. "Natsu…."

"Aw, come on, Luce. Lighten up, I can always just light another one." He says, finishing the flaming coal with a gulp.

I shake my head and cross my arms. "You can't just go around taking people's fire!"

"Whatever you say, princess." He chuckles. "But your hair is a mess, by the way."

"So? I haven't had time to brush it yet." I say, running my hands through to untangle it.

"Whatever, me and happy don't care." He says, coming behind me to wrap his arm around my waist. "I don't know about the rest of the kingdom, though."

"Thanks a lot." I mutter, leaning into his warmth.

I have to say, these past two months have been maybe the best two months of my life. After what happened between us in the alley, things…changed. I don't know what to call it, because saying that we're dating seems so flippant. But whatever it is that we have, it's good.

"Natsu?" I say softly.

"mm."

"I love you."

He chuckles softly. "Well, what a relief."

"I mean it." I say, twisting around in his arms to face him, and momentarily forgetting about breakfast.

He smiles, flashing a set of sharp canines. "I know."

I roll my eyes and let him sneak in a kiss. "What do you want to do today?"

He shrugs. "I don't care. Anything goes."

A boom resounds throughout the castle. I jump, accidently squeezing Natsu's arm way too hard, and we exchange a look of surprise. The noise comes again, and I realize that there's someone at the door, and that someone isn't very happy.

Natsu's green eyes flash. "Go hide, Lucy. I'll see what it is."

I nod, swallowing hard. These kind of things don't happen very often, and it still makes me nervous every time. I scurry up the stairs to crouch at the banister, where I can still get a good view of what's going on in the entry hall.

Natsu looks around for anything that might give away my presence. Satisfied, he goes to open the door.

Has fate finally caught up to me? I don't know. But standing in the doorway, with a scowl on his face, is none other than General Hades, my father's first military advisor and the man in charge of the entire Fiore military. And behind him, armed to the teeth and looking equally intimidating, is a force of twenty men.

"On the decree of his Royal Highness, King Jude Heartfilia the fourth, you, young man, are under arrest for the kidnapping of Princess Lucy Heartfilia." He says. His deep voice resonates through the stone hall and hits me like a punch to the gut. Natsu is under _arrest?_

"What are you talking about? I've never seen the princess in my life!" I hear Natsu protest. He's facing away from me, but I hear his voice waver a little bit. Smoke is starting to rise from his palms.

The general clears his throat, looking very much like he has just won a million dollars in a gamble. "And you, for you are _Prince Natsu Dragneel_ , if my suspicions are correct, will be tried and executed for your crimes against Fiore."

 _How does he know?_ I ask myself, looking around in a panic. There. How could we be so careless? The Dragneel Emblem hangs proudly just below the banister that I'm hiding behind. It might as well be screaming his identity out loud.

A knot settles in my stomach. I have to do something, fast. But before I can even form a plan, the men overpower Natsu, bind his wrists, beat him and drag him, shouting profanities, outside the castle.

"Find the girl! She's somewhere in this place, I can smell her." The General says. That's when I remember that the general himself is a mage, one who betrayed his fellow guildmates to work for my father. He uses tracking magic, so hiding is useless.

Natsu looks back with fear in his eyes, struggling against the guards who are pushing him to his knees. "Run, Lucy!"

Run? No. I won't abandon him.

I dash through the halls, formulating a plan as I go. If I can make it to the tunnels, I can warn the rest of Fairy Tail, but it might be too late for Natsu by then.

I run, my feet slipping on the cold stone floor. I run through the castle, ever aware of the pounding of feet behind me. I'm sure Natsu can hold his own against the few guards left behind to watch him, as long as I lead the rest away from the entry hall.

I make the mistake of looking back, and trip over a loose bit of tile. My body hits the ground with a thud, and before I can stand, a burly pair of arms clamps my arms to my sides and lifts me up off the ground.

"Aaah! Let me down! LET GO OF ME, YOU JERK!" I scream, but my voice doesn't seem to penetrate their ears. Before I know what's happening, they've dragged me outside to join Natsu.

"Lucy? I told you to run!" He exclaims, looking a little bit sick. I meet his eyes as they tie my hands with rope and shove me to the ground beside him.

"SILENCE!" The general roars. "Faces down!"

I hear Natsu's breath grow ragged beside me, as I look down at the ground, panting from my run. I can't go back, I can't go back, I can't go back.

But what worries me more, the one question making my heart thud in my chest, is what will happen to Natsu?

"It took us long enough. You, little missy, have made the king very angry with all of us." Hades booms, crouching down in front of me. "I hope he makes life miserable for you."

Natsu strains against his bonds. "I won't let him lay a hand on her!"

Hades looks at Natsu with disgust. "How cute. How do you intend to do that from the grave, little dragon boy?"

This silences Natsu.

"Throw 'em in the cart." He orders.

Men come forward to lift me off the ground like a sack of flour. I kick and scream, and hear Natsu shouting behind me. They're just about to toss me inside the prison wagon when I hear a sound that chills me to the bone.

A dragon's roar.

I try to twist my head to see what's going on, but I don't need to see it to know what's happening.

Natsu has burned clear through the rope. He stands slowly, fists ablaze and eyes a little more manic than normal. His gaze turns to the General, and I gulp as I decide that I never, ever, ever want to be the recipient of that death stare.

Natsu doesn't take his eyes off the General. When he speaks, he is controlling barely suppressed anger, his tone deadly. "Put Lucy down. Now."

The soldier doesn't drop me, but I can feel his arms start to tremble.

"NOW!" Natsu shouts.

The soldier jumps, and in doing so, gives me a loophole to escape. I land on the ground with a thud.

Natsu's fists flame a little bit more, until it seems like his entire body is engulfed in red-hot flames.

"Lucy." He mutters quietly, meeting my eyes. "Go back to the castle. You're safer there."

I nod, hesitating a moment, then running back into the castle as fast as my feet can carry me. Instead of hiding, like Natsu wants me to do, I crouch by the window and watch.

"If you think you can just come in and take her, you've got another thing coming." Natsu is yelling. "I'll pummel each and every one of you into the ground!"

The general smiles coldly, and says something that I can't hear. It obviously upsets Natsu, though, because the dragon prince lunges at the General with a shout.

I watch as they spar, wincing every time Natsu comes too close to the General's sword. After a while, the other soldiers step in, surrounding Natsu like a swarm of bees.

The fighting goes on for an hour. Natsu easily gets rid of the weaker soldiers, swatting them aside without so much as breaking a sweat. After the first twenty minutes of fighting, He's thinned the soldiers out until none remain but the General and six of his troops. These six, as it turns out, aren't to be underestimated. Each of them appear to be seasoned war veterans.

Finally, I cringe in horror as someone sneaks a light blow to Natsu's torso, opening a thin crimson red streak in his side. He lets out a grunt of pain, clutching the wound with an annoyed expression, but continues to fight on with the ferocity of two dozen men.

Something wet drips onto my knee. I reach up to feel tears streaming fast down my face. Looking away from the fight, I grab a handkerchief to wipe away the tears. Natsu wouldn't want me to cry.

He'll win. He's strong.

I hope.

As soon as the thought leaves my head, I hear a sickening squelch. I cover my mouth to hide the sob that comes from deep within, as I watch a soldier pull a dagger, dripping with blood, from Natsu's stomach.

I'm about to go out and stop the fight then and there, but General Hades beats me to it. "Hold it! Hold it, men. Stop!"

The men step back several paces immediately, forming a ring around Natsu. Natsu stands there, still flaming, but looking like he might collapse.

The royal soldiers don't look much better. General Hades himself bears several burn marks and bruises, and he clutches his ribs as if they are broken. Neither side looks like they can hold this up much longer.

"I'm calling a truce. For a few minutes." Hades says, and I sigh in relief. At least it's stopped for now. Without wasting any time, I rush out to check Natsu over to make sure he hasn't sustained any lethal injuries.

"Natsu!" I cry as I hurry to his side.

He turns to look at me. His eyes are tired, but they still hold the same manic fire. "Lucy…"

"Are you okay? Lift your arm, let me see how bad it is." I demand, trying to shove aside the growing doubt rising in my throat.

"It's nothing, Luce. Don't worry about me, I'm fine." He says, and even though he sounds confident, he looks exhausted.

"No you aren't. Let me see."

Reluctantly, he raises his forearm, and I hiss. The blood is already starting to dry around the gash, and it doesn't look very serious. The hole just above his stomach is what really worries me.

Instead of focusing on how bad it is, because I can't do anything about that at the moment, I place a hand on his cheek. "Be careful, Natsu. For me."

He smiles weakly, covering my hand in his. "Of course."

I nod, blinking away the tears that threaten to fall, and stand on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. "For good luck." I smile, pulling away.

After a few moments, Hades finishes talking with his soldiers, and steps forward. "It seems we have received a message from the King. He would like to speak with the princess."

"Absolutely not." Natsu growls, but I squeeze his hand encouragingly and, despite his protests, step towards the General.

"On what business?" I ask icily.

"He has a proposal for you." Hades replies. "If I were you, your highness, I would accept his offer."

I glance back at Natsu, who looks furious. "I will hear him out. On the condition that there is no fighting until we are done."

Hades nods, satisfied, and hands me a communication Lacrima. With one wary glance in the direction of the soldiers, I step inside and shut the door.

I set the Lacrima down on the coffee table, in the parlor. With a deep breath, I run a hand through my hair and swipe my palm across the Lacrima, causing my father to appear.

I take a step back without thinking, before realizing that he's only here in hologram form. He can't hurt me.

His empty brown eyes take me in for a few moments. "Lucy."

I lift my chin and meet his gaze steadily. "Father."

His eye twitches at my defiant glare, but he walks about the room a bit, glancing around. "Quite a nice place you have here. I suppose you find it more to your liking?"

I resist the urge to slap his holographic face. "Yes, quite. Now what do you want?"

He feigns hurt. "Why, to see my daughter again. Is that such a bad thing?"

"We both know that's not true." I snap.

He sighs, and runs a hand through his neatly styled hair. "Alright. Listen, Lucy. I don't want to have to use force to bring you home. But I _do_ want you back here. How can I trust my only daughter to the care of a dragon?"

I just cross my arms and stare him down.

His jaw clenches a little, obviously he isn't used to such defiance. "Lucy, our kingdom will fall apart if you don't return. Bosco is already preparing an invasion force as we speak. This is about more than what you feel. Think about the lives of your citizens!"

I step forward, poking a finger into his chest. _"Your_ citizens, don't you mean? I'm not your princess. I'm not anybody's princess. And as for Bosco? This is all _your_ fault. If you hadn't killed off all the mages and dragons, we wouldn't have had to ever see Bosco as a threat because we would have forces of warriors waiting to crush their troops."

He grits his teeth. "I protected our country from those dangerous lizards. You should be grateful. Instead, you ran off and left the monarchy in shambles."

"Well guess what? Your monarchy can go to hell. We'd be better off under the rule of Bosco." I retort in disgust.

My father narrows his eyes, with a calculated glare. "Lucy, listen to me. You care for the dragon prince, am I right? My sources tell me it was Natsu Dragneel who abducted you." He says, his voice dangerously quiet.

I don't reply. The change in my expression leaves him with a satisfied smirk

"I came here to make you a deal. If you return to me and agree to do your duty as a princess, I will spare the life of the dragon. He can live in peace and no harm will come to him." He says smugly, examining my reaction.

I am careful to keep my expression neutral, but I feel myself falter. What price am I wiling to pay for my own freedom? And on the other side of the coin, what price am I willing to pay for Natsu's freedom?

Seeing as I don't have an immediate response, my father grins maliciously. "If you agree to come back, my men will escort you home peacefully, and Natsu will live. You have my word."

My tongue feels like lead in my mouth. Nothing is worth the price of Natsu's life. If it comes down to it, I'll gladly return to the palace if it means Natsu can live, but I still think he can win this fight.

"How nice of you to offer. But my answer is no." I say, squaring my shoulders. "You can take your men and get off of our property, before Natsu obliterates them all. "

My father smirks. "You'll change your mind, after the second or third attack. In the meantime, my offer still stands. You can come home anytime."

"So not happening." I sneer in disgust, swiping my hand through the hologram and dispersing my father. If only I could do that in real life.

I take the Lacrima in one hand and step outside once more, feeling a sense of growing unease. If my father is going to keep sending soldiers, we can't keep this up.

Natsu is sitting far away from his opponents, with a heavy scowl. He brightens a little when I emerge, but frowns again when he sees my expression.

I guess I'm not as good at hiding emotion as I thought.

I hand the lacrima to Hades, and the man takes it smugly. He knows everything that went on in there, I'm sure of it.

"Well? Did you enjoy your chat?" He asks mockingly.

"No. No, I did not. Don't ask stupid questions." I snap. "I should let you know that I didn't agree to his proposal, so you don't get to turn me in today."

As I turn to join Natsu, an iron hand clamps around my arm. "Not so fast. I'm getting paid by how many days it takes me to capture you, so I'm not going to pass this up."

I stare incredulously at his hand around my arm. "Let me go!"

He laughs menacingly, and another man grabs my other arm.

"You heard her! Let her go! What happened to fighting fair and square?" Natsu growls.

"Mm, no. We'll just be leaving now." He says.

I struggle against them, and look at Natsu in panic. He meets my eyes, and bursts into flame. "I'm not done with you yet. Come here so I can beat you to a bloody pulp."

As if on cue, I wrench my elbow out of Hades grasp and swing it upwards, hearing a satisfying crack as I connect with his nose. He howls in pain and covers his face with a hand, blood dripping out from underneath. When he removes his hand, his nose is oddly bent.

"Damn you wench!" He screams, and raises a hand to hit me. I feel the smack against my cheek like a thunderclap, sending me reeling back to Natsu.

He catches my elbows to steady me. I can feel the tremors going through his muscles, like a deadly spring coiled to strike. He takes my face in his hands, examining the stinging bruise that has already begun to form. A low growl comes from deep in his chest, and, when he releases me, I slowly back toward the castle.

"Bastard! NO ONE HURTS LUCY!" He roars, his body becoming more and more engulfed by flames.

I watch in fascination as the boy I know and love changes into something out of a fairy tail. Scales appear on his skin, his fingers grow into claws, horns grow out of his head, and he grows. A lot. A huge dragon now stands in the middle of a small group of men, who don't look so scary anymore compared to Natsu.

Slamming his huge front feet into the ground, Natsu lets out a roar, shooting a column of blazing white fire into the sky.

I guess the men have never fought against a dragon before, because they cower behind anything they can find—a fencepost, a tree, a rock. Still, the General yells at them to hit him with everything they've got. I hurry to get out of range of Natsu's fire. I can't recognize any sign of humanity left in his eyes, and for the first time, I feel a twinge of fear. If he can't control it, what's to stop him from incinerating me along with everything else.

A blur of blue fur flashes in the corner of my vision. To my great relief, I find a cat flying toward me. "Happy!'

"Lucy! Natsu can handle these guys, but you need to get out of here." The cat says, dodging a bout of flame spewing from the dragon. "Hurry, inside!"

I oblige, watching over my shoulder as Natsu does away with two men easily.

It's at this point that General Hades realizes he can't win. "Retreat! We'll be back another day."

And just like that, the fight is over. Of course, Natsu doesn't realize that. He chases them all the way down to the city, then flies back up to where Happy and I stand. I expect him to eat both of us alive, but he just lands in the middle of the front yard, sending up clouds of dust.

His dragon form lets out one final roar, and then it's just Natsu again, standing there, dripping blood onto the cobblestones.

"Natsu!" I rush to catch him as he slumps forward. "Talk to me, Natsu."

He groans. "Are they gone?"

I look down the road. "Yeah. They're gone. But they'll be back."

With that ominous statement, he nods his head slightly, coughing up blood. "Of course. I hope they don't mind getting roasted again."

I tell him to be quiet, or he'll waste all of his energy, and begin the task of bringing his half-conscious body inside. All the while, I can't help but remember the words that my father spoke.

 _You'll change your mind after the second or third strike. In the meantime, my offer still stands._

I shudder. We barely managed to defeat them this time. I don't know how long we can hold out for.

 **Once more, you have succeeded in stealing both my sleep and my homework time. How could you.**

 **Just kidding, I actually write better when I'm tired, so there's that.**

 **Guys I got tired of waiting for the next dub episodes to come out so I broke my resolve and continued watching Fairy Tail in Sub….can I just say, Tartaros is breaking my heart. A lot. And the scary thing is, I'm almost done with it, and I don't know what I'll do once I'm all caught up. Then I'll have to wait just like everybody else.**

 **Sooooooo, yup, there's that. I've been working on my other fanfiction, (I'm debating between calling it Vengeance or something cooler) But I don't plan on publishing it until after I'm done with Dragon's Blood. I don't want two fanfics to update every week.**

 **Have a great life everyone.**


	12. A king, or a beast?

Chapter 12

 **Woohoo! I'm over halfway done! I'm pretty surprised that I actually went through with this.**

 **Just a random plea for advice: I'm catsitting a devil cat who literally hisses at me if I go near his food or touch him wrong. I have to get a collar on him and it is not fun. By any chance, are there any cat experts out there? Help!**

 **Speaking of cats, I love it when my cat 'helps' me work on this. He's sitting right here as I type.**

 **But you aren't here to hear about cats. Here's the next chapter of Dragon's Blood! Let the Nalu commence!**

* * *

Love. Is this what it does to people? Is this why my father never wanted it for me? Because it brings so much strife? Because it risks lives and forces people to make impossible choices?

I place a hand on Natsu's cheek, which has cooled considerably after its blazing fever from last night. I guess he fought through it pretty quickly, because right now, he's sleeping peacefully, eyelids fluttering softly now and then.

I've been sitting on the edge of the bed for a while, waiting for Natsu to wake up. I should be doing other, actually productive things, but I'm so concerned that the fever will come back or that he'll wake and panic.

His chest rises and falls steadily. I cleaned, stitched, and wrapped his injuries. The only major wound was a deep gash in his stomach, which I've come to realize is not as serious for a dragon as it would be for a human.

My father's words have been bothering me all day long. I look down at my hands, where I'm fiddling with the tiny glass fairy. Fairies represent hope. They represent innocence, kindness, so many other things that seem to be missing from my childhood. In a way, the little fairy seems to embody everything I never had as a girl. Things that many other children also had to go without.

Things that Natsu and his friends have given to me.

The thought surprises me as I consider it. Fairy Tail has been so kind to me. The girls visit once a week, and I can't express enough how nice it is to have female company. Erza swings by every now and then to check up on us. The one person from Fairy Tail that I have yet to meet is the mysterious Gray, this boy who grew up to work with Erza in the palace.

What is it like back there? Is it chaos? Or has my father cracked down and enforced more rules? It's hard to predict what the man is doing.

I hear a slight exhale of breath. "Lucy?"

Startled, I lift my head, pleased to see that Natsu is awake and looking at me with bleary eyes. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

I place a hand against his forehead, checking the temperature, but since he's a fire dragon, I guess that doesn't really work.

He grunts as he tries to move himself into a sitting position. "Like I could run ten miles."

"Sure you do. Lie down, you'll make your injuries worse." I tell him sternly, placing a firm hand on his chest and pushing him back down.

"It's fine, Luce. I can walk around without doing any damage, can't I?" He protests.

I shake my head. "You shouldn't be up on your feet too much. You need to heal and the only way to do that is by resting up. Here, drink this."

I hand him a mug of hot tea, and he gulps it down with a grimace. "One of Porlyusica's drinks?"

I nod. "She gave me some to take with me when I was under her care."

Natsu leans his head against the pillow with a reluctant sigh. "What happened?"

I don't respond at first, not ready to recollect yesterday just yet. After a few moments, I compose myself. "You transformed."

"So they all died?"

"Hades and a few of his men got away."

Natsu narrows his eyes. "That means they'll be back soon."

I don't confirm it, because I don't want it to be true. Before I can stop him, Natsu throws the quilt aside and swings his legs over the side of the bed.

"I'm getting up. I can't stand lying down when I could be getting my strength back." He growls, ignoring my protests.

The blankets slide off of him as he gets out of bed, landing in a heap on the floor. He grunts a little as his body sways back and forth, having to grab the bedpost for support, and I let out a short complaint as I follow him downstairs, not happy about the situation.

I'm not happy about any of this. My father told me his soldiers would be back in a few days time, and we can't stay here waiting for them to come just so I can watch another bloody brawl. But with Natsu in this condition, I don't know where else to go.

We can't travel far without being spotted. We could use the tunnels, but I don't know that they would be able to take us to a safer spot, not with Hades' tracking magic. The castle is big enough that we can hide, like we did in the past. Now that they know where we are, however, I doubt it would fool them. They would tear the place apart brick by brick.

Then again, Natsu did beat them up pretty bad. I doubt the general and his men will be able to fight again anytime soon, and it will take a few days to assemble another force. So I guess we have a day or two to figure things out before they come again.

Natsu stumbles in the hall, and I hurry to slip his arm over my shoulders, taking some of his weight. "Easy there. You aren't strong enough yet."

He scoffs, trying to stand up straight, but wincing and gripping his torso. "Sure I am. I don't need anyone's help."

With a sigh, I roll my eyes. "You need rest."

"Do not."

"Yes, you do."

"No I don't."

"Don't be difficult, Natsu." I groan, stepping away and crossing my arms.

"I'm not being difficult. Look, I'll be fine. I'll beat up anyone who tries storm this castle." He scowls dubiously. At this rate, I realize, he'll drive himself to his own grave.

"You are being difficult." I prod him in the chest, wishing he would just go back to bed. I try to control the wavering in my voice.

"Am not." He shoves my hand away.

I toss my arms in the air with a heavy exhale, shaking my head. I need him to be better, for both our sakes. If we can't figure something out within the next day, it's all over. As soon as the thought really hits me, a lump of dread starts to form in my throat. "Why do I even try? You're injured, you idiot. You aren't invincible."

What if it's too much? What if Natsu gets himself hurt even worse? What if—I don't even want to think about what might happen if they figured out our connection to Fairy Tail. Everything could come toppling down.

He smirks, to my great annoyance. "That's debatable."

That's the last straw for me.

"Ugh! You're so hopeless. Well you know what? Fine, be that way. See how you do without me around to patch you up!" I shout, which I'll probably regret doing later, but at the moment all I can think of is the fear that I'm so desperately trying to conceal. Natsu backs off right away, surprised, confused and looking a bit concerned. My eyes are starting to fill with tears, and I turn away so he can't see. "Stupid dragon!"

"Wha—Lucy!"

I ignore him and storm away, feeling my throat constrict as I try to keep it all in. I can't let him see me like this; especially not when there's more important matters at hand. I need to get away, get some fresh air. I need to clear my head and think, since I'll clearly have to do that for both of us.

I know exactly where I need to go. I dash through a wing of the castle, tears streaming off of my cheeks. I can't bear to watch another battle. I can't bear to watch his injuries get worse with each fight, until one day he just can't do it. Until he keels over and becomes the loser. The one who never gets up.

No. I won't let that happen.

I climb a spiral staircase, the one that Natsu led me up ages ago. I open the little door, stepping out onto the roof, with the view of the valley. I smile sadly, remembering the times we used to sit up here and watch the night pass by.

It's silent, no one here but me. Peaceful. I plop myself down against the wall with a sigh. The tears are still coming, and I just wish I could forget about this whole thing. I wish we could somehow be two normal people, meeting for coffee, going on dates, not caring about the rest of the world. But we can't be that, can we? I'm a princess, and he's a dragon prince. Normal was never part of the deal.

But still, can it hurt to wish?

* * *

 **At Crocus, the capital of Fiore…..**

"Your Highness, a report on the missing princess." The guard states. He stands straight; his uniform is perfect and clean, and he wears the look of someone who's never seen battle.

The king perks up, his blue eyes narrowing in anticipation, cold as ice. "Yes? Go on."

I hold my breath as the guard clears his throat, unsealing the report and unrolling it with a painstakingly slow crinkle.

"Well?" The king snaps impatiently.

The guard looks up briefly, his eyes wide. His eyes scan over the page for a moment, and he pales slightly. "Your highness, it seems—"

"Just read it, you imbecile." The king sighs.

"R-right." He stammers, lifting the page to eye-level. "General Hades, first officer, reporting from the west. _After apprehending the dragon, we succeeded in injuring him several times. However, he depleted my forces, killing fourteen of my twenty men. We nearly managed to retrieve the princess, but were forced to retreat when the dragon transformed into his true form. We request backup immediately. We have the castle under close watch, but we have reason to believe that the kidnapper is not working alone."_

I breath a sigh of relief. So my sister is okay for now.

"What? Gah, I should've sent more soldiers. I want that dragon dead!" My father sneers, pacing back and forth in the war council room. "The sooner Lucy and Cobra are married, the sooner I can clean up this mess with Bosco."

I narrow my gaze in thought, catching the eye of Captain Fullbuster from across the room. He is good at making his face completely blank, as if he is just another indifferent guard.

I tilt my head slightly, and he nods, understanding. I then return my attention to the king. "Father, if I might suggest sending in the Monster Regales? They would no doubt handle the dragon without casualty."

The king runs a hand over his stubbly beard, which has emerged recently as a result of stress. The man barely remembers to eat anymore. Not that I'm complaining; if he would starve himself to death, it would make things easier for us.

"They're currently at the border. It would take an extra day for them to reach the Dragneel Estate." He states, pausing for an irritated puff of his cigar. "But I suppose it would be better. More efficient than Hades and his rabble."

I wait patiently. Gray shoots me an alarmed look, but I shake my head _. Trust me._

"Yes, I suppose we can afford one day. You, contact them immediately. Tell them they have orders to pull back into Thorpe as fast as they can get there. I want the princess back here the day after tomorrow." He barks.

"Yes sir." The messenger salutes, exiting the room.

"Father, if I may, I have other things to attend to…" I state.

"Yes, yes, you may go." My father replies gruffly.

I leave the room, well aware of Gray following close behind.

"What was that?" He whisper-shouts, looking behind his shoulder at the closing doors.

"Don't worry, I've got this under control." I respond, not bothering to look back. "I bought them time, that's all. Two days. They can get to somewhere safe by then."

I hope.

"And what if they can't?" He hisses.

"They will. And even if they can't, a dragon is a formidable opponent, even for an elite team like Monster Regale."

"Not an injured dragon." Gray growls, crossing his arms. He walks alongside me, matching my stride. "Natsu is impulsive. I don't know that he has enough self- control to worry about his own well being."

"Lucy won't let him. She's a smart girl." I murmur. "If anyone can outsmart my father, it's my sister."

She was never one to be obedient.

"Won't let him what?" A female voice joins our conversation, and we both turn to see Captain Erza Scarlett strutting towards us, decked in full armor.

"It's Natsu." Gray narrows his eyes. "Did you hear the news?"

She nods. "He's gone and dug his own grave. He'll take the princess right along with him."

"That's for sure. The king is sending in the Monster Regale, on Malachi's suggestion." Gray informs her with a grunt. "Supposedly, it will buy them time."

"Time is valuable. But Natsu can handle them, no problem." She states.

"He's injured." I add, watching her confidence falter. "Hades and his troops did a number on him before he went full form and nearly wiped out the whole regiment."

"That's not good." She admits. "Do we have the preparations for plan C ready?"

Gray and I exchange a glance. "It seems that way. The way things are going, it might have to come to that."

"I don't like it. It's too much of a gamble." Gray says.

"Neither do I. We'll just have to hope that the two of them can work this out on their own." I say.

Late that night, I am awoken to a summons from my father. I'm not sleeping, of course, but it still irritates me that my father would get me out of bed for something that can probably wait until morning.

When I arrive at his study, he is sitting in an armchair by the fire. I clear my throat to announce my prescence.

"Ah, Malachi. Good." He gets up out of the chair with a wheeze and a cough, stepping towards me with the regality of an emperor. He stops in front of me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. It takes some self control not to shove it away. "I have something to show you, my boy."

"Do you?" I say, feigning interest. To be honest, I could care less about whatever it is.

"Hrmph. Come." The King makes his way outside, and I follow.

We walk in silence. It seems like a good half hour, but we finally begin our descent into the prison levels of the castle. _The prison._ What on earth are we doing here?

My father leads me through the winding, mildew-covered corridors, stopping at one of the very last doors.

With a loud _clank,_ the door opens slowly, like it isn't used very often. I wave a hand in front of my face to disperse the smell.

The room is pitch black, with only the light from the dim torches in the corridor. I step inside after my father, squinting through the dark. "What is this? Why did you bring me here?"

My father strikes a match against a flint stone. "This is one of the most well-kept secrets of the military."

I stare, confused. He lights a torch, which takes a few moments to begin blazing. As it lights the room, I make out the outline of a really, really big cage.

He moves to light the second torch, talking as he works. "You know the reasons behind the Great Dragon Purge, years ago. We wiped out all the dragons from Fiore."

The match fails to light, and he strikes it again. "Well, that was what we had thought. Until Lucy was kidnapped, we had no idea that there were any left in the world, at least, not in the wild. Not roaming free. The one who kidnapped the princess was obviously well hidden from us. Lucky Bastard."

He holds the match up to the fabric of the torch. "Fire. That was it, wasn't it? His element. I heard he barbecued a hundred men that first night. Roasted em, right in their armor. A dangerous thing, this dragon. So of course you understand why he must be stopped."

"And why is that, father?" I say, beginning to get an idea of what might be in that cage.

The torch blazes up, illuminating the other half of the room. "Dragons aren't meant to roam the earth alongside us. They are meant to be tamed, and if not tamed, exterminated. Which is exactly what I plan to do."

He pauses, lifting the torch into the air with a manic grin. "Isn't that right, Igneel?"

* * *

 **Lucy's POV**

In the past hour, I've been able to somewhat organize my thoughts. The tears have stopped coming, but the ache in my chest is still threatening to suffocate me. Still, I know what I have to do. I've made up my mind.

I'm going to persevere. I won't abandon Natsu, because I know he'd just come after me. I can't imagine my life without him, either. As selfish as it may be, I want to stay with the crazy dragon-boy. He lit up my world the moment he flew in to it.

That aside, we need to get out of here. It's a matter of time before they come back with reinforcements, and Natsu is hurt.

The situation isn't the best. But then, haven't I been in tough positions before? We can get through this together.

"Luce." Natsu's voice sounds quiet behind me. I guess he decided to come find me after all. "You okay?"

I turn to look at him. He doesn't look me in the eye, instead casting his gaze across the valley. His cheeks carry a tint of red, obviously not comfortable.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. Sorry for storming off on you earlier." I say with a smile.

"It's okay. I wasn't thinking." He rubs the back of his neck, still not quite meeting my eyes.

There's an awkward silence between us that wasn't there before. There are so many heavy thoughts on my mind right now, and I feel so alone with all of it. Natsu can't seem to understand that he's not invincible.

"How's your, you know…" I ask, the lump coming back.

He gives a start. "Oh, what, that? Not any better than it was earlier."

"But you aren't in any more pain than earlier?" I ask, concerned.

"No, I guess not. I haven't thought about it." He shrugs, sitting down on the roof next to me with a grunt. "Okay, maybe a little bit."

"I thought so." I say quietly.

"I'm fine, really Luce. Don't worry so much. A little scratch never hurt me." He says with a grin. "I don't think Hades will be feeling this good, though. I'm all fired up for a rematch!"

My heart drops into my stomach. "So not happening."

"Aww, come on Lucy, I could totally—"

"Natsu, stop." I say abruptly, cutting him off. I'm not in the mood. "I need to talk to you about that."

His green eyes go wide, caught off guard. His surprised expression turns sheepish when he hears the serious tone in my voice.

I take a shaky breath. "They'll be back really soon with more soldiers. It'll be the same scenario, maybe worse. But you barely made it through yesterday."

Natsu narrows his eyes. "I could take 'em again. They had the element of surprise, that's all."

"No, Natsu." I sigh, exasperated. "You can't. You're hurt. And I don't want to sit by and watch you get yourself killed."

He opens his mouth to reply, but I hold up a hand. "We need to leave here. For your sake, mostly. I know you don't want to back away from a fight, but it's the only way we can stay out of my father's reach."

"I can't leave!" He protests. "This castle is the only thing left from my father. Leaving it behind would be like setting fire to everything that my family ever worked for."

"What's more important? Your family? Or your life?" I murmur.

"We can stay here. I can protect us." He insists.

"If you weren't injured, I'm sure you could. But for how long?"

"As long as I need to."

I turn my face away as the tears come again. It doesn't look like I can convince him of anything. This whole damn thing is just so hopeless.

"Lucy?" Natsu says quietly, unsure of himelf.

I try to wipe the tears away, before he sees them, but he catches my hand and turns my face back towards him. His breath hitches in his throat. "Don't cry, Luce. We'll be fine."

I shake my head. We aren't fine. We are anything but fine. Instead of speaking, I just let him pull me into his arms. He's everything warm and safe, as if nothing bad will ever happen to us as long as we're here together. How tragic, that as long as we're together, we'll see only hardship until my father goes to the grave.

I put my head on his shoulder, and we just sit like that for a good long while. I guess we're both thinking the same thing, that we'll only get so much time together.

The town looks so far away and tiny. Like a little toy town with little toy people. It's noon by now, and the sunlight glints off of each roof. All the people down there are just going about their everyday lives, never stopping to think that the two most wanted people in Fiore are here, right under their noses.

The two most wanted people in Fiore. I never thought I'd bear that title. I brought it on myself, though. I brought it on Natsu. And now, I'll have to fix it. How, I don't know. But I will set things right once more.

* * *

 **Malachi**

" _Igneel?"_ I gape in shock. "The dragon king?"

Sure enough, the torchlight flickers off of a slumped figure, looking right at me with eyes that remind me of burning coals. The cage itself is giant, half the size of our ballroom, and he sits in the back corner, far away from us. Judging by his scraggly beard and wild hair, he's been down here for years.

"Jude." He drawls quietly. "Decided to show me off to your bastard son, eh."

The king stiffens, but laughs it off coldly. "Not quite."

I wait for an explanation, but it doesn't come. My father appears to be examining the dragon king—who looks no different than a human—with a calculating frown. "Have you heard the news?"

The man gives a cynical chuckle. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

My father orders a guard to fetch him a glass of wine, and coughs into his sleeve. "Ah, I'd forgotten. But surely, you must hear the gossip from the guards."

Igneel turns away. "Don't you have better things to do than bore me with your small talk?"

"Fine, fine. I shall tell you." My father smiles coldly, receiving a tall bottle of red wine from the guard. He pours the wine from the bottle into a goblet, taking his time to taste it. He sets the glass down on the table, marching right up to the iron cage bars. "I have good news, Igneel. You told us your entire family was dead."

I stare at my father, incredulous. Did he really bring me down here so I could watch him gloat in front of the former dragon king?

Igneel tries to hide it, but I see his left shoulder jerk slightly at the king's words. "They are."

"Apparently not." The king says. "There's a fire dragon that's been causing trouble in my kingdom of late. It kidnapped my daughter—the princess—and we've just now pinpointed their location."

"What of it?" Igneel is trying to keep his voice level, but the waver in his voice gives him away.

"This dragon, well, I think it has a name. What was it, Malachi? Lucy said it had a name." The king says, obviously setting me up to contribute to his cruel game.

I grit my teeth to keep calm. "Natsu. His name is Natsu Dragneel."

"Yes, yes. Natsu Dragneel." He takes a sip of wine. "If memory serves me correctly, then Natsu was the name of your youngest little lizard. Isn't that so?"

Igneel's shoulders tense. "Maybe."

"And that would mean that you've been lying to us, isn't that so, Malachi?" He sneers.

I don't reply, feeling a lump of anger form in my throat.

"Oh, well. He won't last long. I'm pulling out all the stops just to take this one down, so he might be joining you soon enough. Whether here, or in hell, I can't say."

"You bastard! If you lay one finger on my son, I'll burn you into a pile of smoldering ashes!" Igneel roars, rising to his full height. "You and your whole kingdom will feel the burn."

My father laughs manically. "If only you could use your fire, that would be a lot simpler, wouldn't it?"

That's when I snap and lose my composure. "Why are you doing this? You beat them already. Just let his son go free."

The king turns on me with eyes shining with a wild craving for vengeance. For the first time, I begin to question his sanity. "Because, my boy. They're monsters. All of them."

He takes a gulp of wine, spilling all over his white jacket. "It was their fault. It was a dragon who killed Layla. It was a mage who couldn't save her. They're all the same. They all deserve to die."

I flinch at the words. He's had too much wine. We all know that my mother died from a sickness. "That's not true and you know it!"

"It is! Tell him, Igneel. Tell him how it was your eldest son who poisoned my wife. Tell him why you couldn't even keep your own child in check. How you sat by and watched while she died and did nothing. You just _watched._ You never even thought to punish him for it."

I look, horrified, from my father to Igneel. But Igneel meets my father's angry glare with his own, and says nothing in his defense.

"That…can't be true." I say quietly.

"It is true." The dragon king says calmly, never once breaking eye contact.

My heart plummets. I've never heard this before—not even in my father's darkest moments has he mentioned anything. I've always thought that the dragon purge was completely unjustified.

Now, for the first time, a little seed of doubt niggles in the back of my mind.

"My son used poison to assassinate Queen Layla. His actions were not condoned by my authority, nor were they acceptable in any way. He was to go into exile for his actions, as according to ancient dragon law. However, you took it upon yourself to capture and execute him. Maybe he deserved it, maybe he didn't. But it doesn't warrant the slaughter of my entire people!" He growls. His voice booms through the stone halls.

My mother. _He killed my mother._ My loving, beautiful, always cheerful mother. Gone, because of that dragon's spawn.

Maybe he's right. Maybe it didn't warrant the killing of every dragon in Fiore. My father is an evil man; he authorized the holocaust of an entire species.

But still, this changes everything. Is it worth the risk? I don't want to trust Lucy's life to the brother of my mother's murderer. She's worth too much to me.

Something must be done. I narrow my eyes in thought, glaring at the man in the cage. Something has to be done, and I'll be the one to do it.

* * *

 **Dun dun duuun! Ok, so yeah Igneel is alive and in a prison beneath the palace. Natsu is injured and stubbornly refusing to leave, aaanndd we have the older brother/crown prince facing a serious change of heart. Uh-oh. Sorry Lucy.**

 **I'm pretty excited for the next chapter. We are just now starting to enter the pre-climax of Dragon's Blood, so…ahem…(anchor-man voice) Stay tuned for chapter 13 of Dragon's Blood!**

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you're thinking. See ya!**


	13. Goodbye

**Chapter 13**

 **Did you know that rhinos are just plus size unicorns? Yes? No? Just me? Oookaayy.**

 **Here we are at chapter 13! I'm getting my new laptop tomorrow, which is suuuppppeeerrr exciting! It will be nice to have something better to write on. Me and my squad are actually considering starting a rock band. Idk if we'll go through with it but keep an eye out for….um, we actually we don't have a name yet. But we'll totally be world famous and everything. Maybe even open for some obscure band in some coffee shop somewhere.**

 **So if I don't update, it'll be because my squad and I are rocking out in my garage, kay?**

 **I just got caught up on the anime of Fairy Tail, and then the Manga, so I really don't know what to do except wait for the next darn chapter. At least now I don't have to worry about reading spoilers.**

 **Here's Chapter 13.**

 **Lucy's POV**

A crash. A roar. The smell of black smoke billowing through the open windows, covering me with a fine layer of soot. Everything about this moment is awful, reminding me that we are fighting a hopeless battle.

I wish this were over. They've been fighting out there for less than fifteen minutes, and I'm so scared that I can feel my knees shaking. He's not well enough to fight. Natsu is going to get himself killed.

The window cushion feels rough beneath my clenched hands. Just outside, Natsu sends streams of flame into the small group of soldier mages that have showed up.

When I heard the knock on the door this morning, I knew. They'd finally come for us. It'd been two days since the last attack, and I had been both expecting and dreading this. Thankfully, Natsu rested up, but stubbornly refused to do anything but fight, with his flames and his two fists.

It's him against a group of four skilled mages, some of the ones who hooked up with the army during the Great Dragon Purge. I've never seen them, but from what I've gathered, Natsu's got his hands full.

I watch in dread as they spar back and forth. At one point, it looks like Natsu is wrapping it up. Two of them are lying on the dust-covered ground, not moving. He's going all out, fighting like he could go on forever. If only that were true.

Then, through the window, I watch, helpless, as one mage plunges his sword straight through Natsu's gut with a sick sound. My dragon lets out a gasp of pain, buckling over and coughing blood onto the packed dirt. I whimper, covering my mouth with both hands to keep from crying out.

Natsu gasps for breath, and his face contorts in pain. Much to my dismay, the mage smirks, almost casually, and pulls a foot back to deliver a kick to the new wound.

Natsu screams in agony, and I cringe. I have to stop this now.

I race down the stairs, stumbling once but getting back up. I reach the front entry-way with every intention of throwing myself between the enemy mage and Natsu, but before I can dash out into the fight zone, Natsu looks back over his shoulder, making eye contact for a long moment.

There's something there that makes me stop in my tracks. I want to go to him, that's the only thing on my mind right now. But he shakes his head slightly, telling me to stay put.

With a yell, he pushes himself up off the ground, holding his stomach with his left hand. His breaths are coming more heavily now, and I can see the sweat dripping off of him from here.

"You can't stay down, can you? Oh well, more fun for us." The second mage smiles cruelly.

Natsu lets out a growl, and with it comes a roar of white-hot flame. The mages step back, not expecting such a powerful attack at this point. To my dismay, they don't seem to even be singed, but Natsu isn't done.

Natsu lets his hand fall from his wound, both fists now blazing. He wastes no time going after the mages, and it's as if he was never hurt in the first place. He's swinging punches, yelling something that I can't make out.

It takes a few moments, but after a well-placed punch knocks the first mage out cold, hope swells in my chest. He'll be fine now.

Or so I thought. It only takes a minute or so for the blood loss to start taking affect, and Natsu is showing signs of fatigue. He stumbles once, regaining his balance just in time to be hit over the head with a heavy branch. This mage uses nature magic, and the roots that he summons out of the ground quickly wrap themselves around Natsu's arms, torso, and legs.

He burns through the first few roots, but soon enough they come too thick to be affected by the flames. As they tighten, the mage smiles, and I feel a new wave of fear wash over me.

"What is this? This ain't fighting fair! Get your plants off of me!" Natsu shouts.

I cringe, seeing the last mage's expression. His black eyes glitter maliciously, and I know that there is nothing anyone can do to stop him now.

"This is the end of the line, dragon. I've always wanted to slay one of you. It was a good fight, but I guess it's time for me to return the princess to her father." He sneers, pointedly glancing in my direction.

Natsu squirms, bending his neck to look back at me in the doorway. "Lucy! Get out of here!"

I don't move. I don't reply. I can't think of what to do. What will stop this mage from hurting Natsu any further?

The mage looks at me, grinning, and waves a hand. More roots shoot up from the ground, piercing Natsu's body and enlarging the pool of blood already gathered beneath him. His eyes go wide, and he stifles a gasp, but he doesn't take his eyes off me. "Get….Away….Lucy…."

No. I can't leave him. He'll die. He'll die anyways, whether I stay or go. I feel so powerless now, because it seems that no matter what I do, he dies. I can't stop it.

Unless…

I was offered a deal by my father. Natsu's life, in exchange for my submission. I rack my brain as fast as I can, panicking as the mage takes a step towards Natsu.

I made a deal. I can stop this now and go with him, and he won't hurt Natsu anymore. But with his injuries, he'll be left to die if no one does anything.

I can't leave, I can't stay. What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?

There. The idea pops into my head like a glorious ray of sunshine, giving me a small sliver of hope. I can save him.'

The mage makes an upward motion with his hand, and a thick root grows straight throw his abdomen, where he was already healing from his other fight. Natsu groans in pain, too weak now to do anything else.

"Stop!" I say boldly, walking rapidly toward the mage. "I'll go with you."

"Is that so?" The mage says. "I didn't realize you had a choice."

"Well, I do. I can make it hard for you, or I can make it easy for you. But if you leave Natsu alone, I'll go and I won't put up a fight. It will make you look better, at least." I tell him, putting all my confidence into my voice to keep it from trembling.

"Is that so." He says, dropping his hand.

Natsu blinks several times, struggling to stay aware. "Don't…."

"I'll go with you willingly, in twenty-four hours. That is my proposal."

Twenty-four hours. That will buy me enough time to get Natsu some medical care and make sure he's okay before I leave forever. I owe him that much.

"Twenty-four hours? So you can run away?" He asks.

"I won't run. I want to be done with this. I will keep my word." I tell him.

I can save him. This is the only way.

He looks thoughtful. "Oh, very well. You ruined my fun, but I just might get a promotion out of it. I will come back, the same time tomorrow."

Abruptly, he recalls all of his plants, dropping Natsu to the ground like a rag doll and walking away as if taking an afternoon stroll. I waste no time dropping to my knees, rolling the dragon prince over onto his back.

"Natsu? Oh, Mavis, this is bad." I exclaim, surveying the damage. His eyelids flutter slightly, and his breathing sounds awful. Did he puncture a lung?

"You'll be fine, let me just get Porlyusica. She can fix this." I say, more for myself than for him. I don't know if moving him is safe or not, so I don't know how to manage any of this. There's so much blood, everywhere. It's a wonder he has any left in him.

I look back towards the castle, judging the distance between here and the nearest bedroom. Could I carry him that far?

I start to stand, but his fingers brush against my wrist weakly, an attempt to grab my hand.

"Uh—Natsu?" I breathe, trying not to think about the fact that Natsu could very easily bleed to death right here.

"Stay. Please." He murmurs, his chest heaving slightly as he coughs up blood.

I hold onto his hand, forcing a helpless smile. "Natsu….."

That's when I hear Happy's voice call out like the trumpet of the Calvary. "Lucy? What's going on?"

The cat flies out of the castle, eyes going wide. "Oh My Gosh! What happened?"

I look up at the cat, relieved. "The last mage was too powerful for him. Go get Porlyusica. Hurry!"

He nods through tears, flying off.

I'm left alone again with Natsu. His eyelids are fluttering to a close. Maybe it's unreasonable, but I panic, fearing that if he goes to sleep now, he might not wake up.

"Come on, stay with me!" I cry, shaking his shoulders. "Stay awake, Natsu!"

He coughs again, weary, but awake. "Still here."

I take a deep breath to calm myself down. "Okay." My voice trembles.  
"Okay. We need to get you inside. I need to stop the bleeding, and there's such a high risk of infection—Mavis, what if Porlysica can't make it here fast enough to heal your internal injuries?"

Natsu grunts, taking a shallow, rasping breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't beat 'em this time."

"Nevermind that! Can you stand? Here, lean on me. Let's get you inside." I say firmly, pushing back the tears until he's safely in bed and resting up.

Natsu tries to get to his feet, stumbling, and I slip under his arm, taking a great deal of his weight. He can barely support himself, and I stumble through the castle, almost dragging him into his own bedroom. I look back, cringing at the trail of blood leading up the stairs and through the halls. Shaking myself to clear it form my mind, I put Natsu down on the white bedsheets.

He collapses right away, exhausted. If his prior injuries were bad, these are ten times worse. He's draped over the mattress, staining everything crimson. I can't bear to think what might happen if his injuries are as truly bad as they look.

Finally, Porlyusica arrives, after what seems like hours. Her expression is unreadable as she ushers me, protesting fervently, out of the room.

I go across the hall into my room, plopping down on the mattress with a frustrated sigh. Porlyusica is here, so Natsu is fine now. But how long until he decides to go get in another fight? The idiot doesn't know the first thing about self-preservation.

I felt tears threatening to fall earlier, but now they won't come. Natsu will be fine, I'm sure Porlyusica will patch him up, good as new, but I won't be here to see it. I'll be miles away from here by then.

I made a deal, didn't I? In twenty-four hours, that mage will be back to take me to my father. And Natsu will be safe.

Very, very angry with me, but safe. That's all that matters.

I don't know how much he understood back there—he was half-conscious when I made the deal, so whether he understands what is going on is a question yet to be answered. I'll have to tell him sooner or later, but I'll let him rest for a while first.

I lie there for quite some time, staring at the stones in the ceiling. What is going on in that other room?

Restless, I finally give in, making my way back across the hall to the closed door on the other side.

I crack it open silently, peering in. She isn't using medicine, like I thought she would. She has placed several magic circles all over his sleeping form, muttering incantations as the soft lavender light illuminates her face. I watch, stupefied, as his cuts and gashes slowly knit themselves back together. I've never seen such magic at work before, and it fascinates me.

To think, this is what my father is trying to extinguish.

An hour later, Porlyusica finishes, sweat dripping from her brow. She sighs, as if finishing a long day's work, and watches for several moments as her patient sleeps soundly.

I open the door quietly, not wanting to wake the dragon slayer. Porlyusica sees me, and a frown crosses her face. "I told you what would happen, didn't I?"

I sit on the mattress beside him, avoiding her gaze. "I know."

"He's a good young man. Maybe too good, sometimes." She adds. "He loves you."

I pause. "I know."

Porlyusica exhales, fixing her disheveled bun on the top of her head. "I always did think you two would make a good pair. But…well, I think it's time for you to leave."

"I know. I've already arranged for that." I respond numbly.

"Good. You're a smart girl, Lucy. Your mother…she would be proud."

I nod, watching Natsu's chest rise and fall. It's amazing how quickly she healed him. It's as if there isn't a trace of injury left.

"I only stopped the blood loss and sealed all of his injuries. He'll have severe bruising by tomorrow, but nothing worse. Give it a few days' time and he'll heal, but if I know Natsu, he'll come after you." She muses.

"They're coming back for me tomorrow. And I can't stop him from trying to break into the castle and getting himself hurt again."

"Yes, well, if that's the case, then I might have something." She says, reaching into her magic bag, out of which, as she explained earlier, she can summon any commonly available magic item, including medicines. She withdraws a small vial of red liquid, and a seemingly normal pen. She hands both to me, and I stare dumbly at each item.

"The vial holds the nectar of the red lotus, which induces paralysis. The pen can only be used once, and it lays down a containment spell using ancient runes." She explains.

I blink. "Umm…"

She lets out an irritated sigh. "In simpler terms, any person given the full vial of nectar will be paralyzed for a week. The pen's containment spell will prevent people from leaving an area, or entering, for that matter. It will protect him while he is vulnerable."

"Oh." My voice sounds small, and I instinctively take Natsu's hand.

"He'll be fine for a week, the nectar will slow his body down so that he won't need food or water. And after that week, he'll be able to move again."

I swallow hard, a knot of dread forming in my stomach. That's the last thing I want to do.

"I know it isn't easy. But you need to be strong for all of us. The world isn't a place where everyone gets what they want." She says, almost gentle. "If you return to the palace, you may be able to turn the tide and reverse your father's actions."

I say nothing, staring at the objects in my hands as she takes her bag and leaves. I sit there for a good long while as my brain whirs, trying to come up with another solution. But no, this is the only way to stop him from coming after me, at least for a week.

I pack my things that night, weeping silently as I neatly fold my clothing and place it in the big chest at the foot of my bed. I take very little, just the things that hold memories. The dress I wore when we danced at the engagement ball, the little glass fairy on a necklace, things like that. I don't want to forget the time that we shared together.

It's not like I'll be needing them anymore.

After I'm done packing, I take a walk around the castle, reminiscing about all the things I was able to do here that a girl of my rank would never have been allowed to do. Natsu and his friends gave me a life, if only for a few months. For that I am grateful.

It's dusk by now, the sun setting in the west. It's beautiful, and I find that oddly infuriating. Nothing should be beautiful. My world should be black and white now that I face a life just as bleak. But no—it's horribly, sinfully beautiful.

I go to check in on Natsu. I won't tell him anything yet, because I want him to rest easy. But the moment I step in to his room, to find that he is awake, he sits up and crosses his arms, glaring. "You're not leaving."

I hand him a glass of water and a slice of bread, telling him to eat. When he refuses, I shake my head and sigh. "Natsu, where did you get that idea?"

His expression is the same: stubborn determination. "You made a bargain with him, didn't you? He's coming back tomorrow to take you away."

Well, there goes my plan to break it to him slowly.

I don't meet his eyes. I can't face what I might find there. "Natsu...it's not an easy decision for me to make. But I...I have to."

"You don't! You shouldn't have to go back, not after everything we went through to keep you hidden!" He counters. "If you go back there, you'll marry Cobra. And I sure as hell ain't gonna let that happen!"

"That isn't something either of us can control." I say softly. "I'm sorry, Natsu. My father offered me a deal. You'll be safe, you'll be able to live out the rest of your life in peace. And as for me-I'm sure I can manage."

He is silent, clenching his jaw in frustration. I sit down on the bed, screwing the cap off the poultice that Porlyusica left behind.

"Give me your arm." I tell him, and he complies. I unwrap the bandages around his forearm, where the skin was rubbed raw from the plant magic. The poultice smells faintly sweet, mingling with the pungent scent of medicinal herbs. I wrinkle my nose as I spread it over his skin and re-wrap clean bandages around it.

He watches me work, not wincing or showing any sign of discomfort at all. I can see the gears in his brain working, trying to come up with something that would convince me to stay.

"Lean forward. And hold still, you're moving too much." As I finish tying the knot, I wipe my ointment-covered hands off on a clean rag,

"What about me? What about Fairy Tail? We need you." He grunts as I move on to his torso, which is black and blue beneath the bandages.

"You did just fine before I came here."

"You're here now. You can't just leave. Not after everything-"

"Natsu, there aren't any other options!" I snap, unable to focus. "Don't you realize that more than anything, I want to stay here? I love this life. I've already tried to convince myself to stay, and it hasn't worked. You're only making it harder for both of us. It's better if you can just move on already."

"I can't move on! You don't get it, Lucy. _I_ need you. If you leave, I'll be left alone. I love you. Dammit, Lucy, why don't you get that? I wouldn't nearly get myself killed for someone who didn't matter."

"But you shouldn't have to get yourself killed!" I reply with equal fervor. "You've always been the one protecting me. But this time, it's my turn."

"I don't want you to protect me!" He counters, grabbing my hands in his. "I want you to stay. If I'm alive and you aren't here, there's no point."

"Yes there is. Stop being so dramatic." I turn my face away, feeling tears threatening to fall for the hundredth time today. "You have your friends."

Natsu's eyes are alight, fired up with passion and desperation. "They aren't you."

"But they're your family."

"You're apart of that family too." He says softly.

That's the last straw for me. I break down, sobbing into my hand. All the stress of the past few days has finally caught up to me.

Natsu shakes his head, pulling me in close. "Stay." He whispers against my forehead. "We can work something out. This doesn't have to be the end of us."

I lean my head against his chest, crying. Am I really strong enough to just walk away from this?

We stay like that for quite some time. I let him hold me, grateful for the time that we have left.

Because tommorrow, it will all be over.

The sun rises the next day, bringing with it a sense of finality. This is it. This is the day it all ends.

My last morning in the Dragneel Estate.

An hour before the scheduled time, I drag my chest down the stairs and set it outside the door. On a whim, I pull out the necklace and latch it around my neck.

By then, it's a half-hour till my twenty-four hours is up. Taking a deep breath, I climb the stairs, retrieving the Lotus Nectar from beneath my bed.

Natsu has been resting, mostly because I didn't really give him any other option. He groggily sits up when I walk into his room with a tray of food, looking like he's wishing the slab of bread were a thick, juicy steak.

"He'll be back soon. You should go hide." He says, obediently taking the tray in his hands.

"I'll be fine, I know what to do." I say. And I do know what to do. Just...maybe not what he's expecting. "Eat."

He nods, gulping down the glass of water. I watch as the last drop leaves the glass. It's all okay now. He's safe, with that glass of water. I take a deep breath of relief.

He burns right through the bread and soup I brought up. I notice his movements are beginning to slow-very slightly, it will come into effect all at once.

I sit on the bed, feeling incredibly guilty for doing this to him. I lean forward, wrapping a hand around his neck for a kiss. He returns it, placing a gentle hand on my cheek. I'll miss this. I'll miss him. I'll never be able to love Cobra, not like this

It's then that it hits him.

He goes stiff, falling back onto the bed. "Wh-what?! Lucy! What's going on!?"

He struggles to get up again, but by now, his limbs are frozen. "Lucy! What did you do?!"

I look on sadly. His body goes still, but his chest is still heaving, the effort of movement proving to be an exhaustion. His green eyes are wide and scared, betrayal written over his face.

"I'm sorry, Natsu. This was the only way. You would've come after me otherwise." I say, looking at the carpet. "I'm sorry. I truly am. It'll wear off in a week, and you won't need food or water during that time."

"You can't do this!" He protests. "You can't do this!"

"I'm sorry." I say numbly. I lean forward to place one last, deep kiss on his lips. He gasps as I break away, staring up at me with mixed emotions. Harsh rage, hurt and betrayal, but beneath it all, is concern. Concern for me and what I'm getting myself into. I stand up and avoid those eyes, knowing that I'm leaving everything behind. I don't think my heart will survive this. "I love you, Natsu. No one can change that."

"LUUUUUCCCYYYY!" He roars, and I cringe. I can hear him shouting even as I draw the containment line around the doorframe. The tears are spilling off my cheeks like drops of rain falling to the ground. I know, as I sit on the doorstep to wait, that I'll never see him again. The pain in his voice almost makes me run back inside to beg forgiveness, but I couldn't, not with the containment spell around the castle. This needs to be done.

His roars have depleted, which I guess means that his vocal chords finally froze up. I dry my tears, take a deep breath, and square my shoulders. It's time for the next challenge. I can do this. I am strong.

The mage arrives promptly; I can see him strolling up the dirt path. He's whistling a happy tune-as if he's trying to mock me-with his hands in his pockets.

I stand to meet him, giving him the coldest glare I can muster. "Good Afternoon."

"Is it? I know I'm having a good afternoon. I don't see why you would having one, though." He chuckles to himself.

I don't laugh.

"Well, that aside, I have a transport prepared for us. Come along." He says with an emotionless smile.

I don't move. "My things."

He looks at me, incredulous. "Your things? Your highness, don't be ridiculous. You won't be needing any of those. You'll have a much better wardrobe when I return you to your father."

"But-" I start. I don't know why, but I'm desperate to keep those things.

He interrupts me right away. "None of that! Come!"

I sigh, looking back at the castle sadly. I can't let these emotions control me. I'll need to be strong if I am to be of any influence in the palace.

Natsu will be fine. He'll move on, he'll find someone else who can make him happy. And I'll have the memories, to haunt me for the rest of my life. Maybe I can make something of my life in Bosco. I don't really see how, but it's possible. Maybe Cobra isn't so bad.

Who am I kidding. I'll never be as happy as I was here.

It takes hours to reach the royal palace, which is a hundred miles away. But even then, as I step through the grand, ornate doors of my glorified prison, I still hear the betrayal in Natsu's voice.

 **There you have it! Goodbye, Lucy. :'( :'( :'(**

 **Ummm...yeah...so that's it...**

 **Have a great life everyone! Don't make stupid decisions. Seriously. Just don't. Reviews are always lovely. :)**

 **Oh, one more thing. So the rock band thing is coming along but we have no idea what to call ourselves, so I need ideas. And since you peeps are the internet, well, who better to ask? If you have any cool rock band names, let me know! It would be sooo helpful!**

 **Ok bye.**


	14. A fate worse than death

Chapter 14

 **So I got a tumblr...I have no idea how to use it. You know how every site kinda has its own unspoken rules? I feel like tumblr is an entire society based in the internet and I have no idea what their rules are or their customs and such. Oh well**

 **Also, I'm reading so many Nalu fanfics right now that my brain is literally overflowing with ideas, so I've been jotting down ideas for my next stories all And since I have random chunks of it already written, I hope it goes fairly quick.**

 **That said, let's get to the actual story. Chapter 14!**

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Lucy's POV

Never has my own birthplace felt so cold.

The castle hasn't changed a bit; it's still the same polished marble and busy servants and proud capital. The servants still stop and bow respectfully as I pass; the place is still richly decorated with perfect arrangements of flowers at every corner. Even the carefully waxed stair-rails and spotless glass windows are the same. No, it's not the castle that's different. It's me.

I've changed, and I don't belong here anymore, in this world of nobles and wealth and power. I learned what living is during my time away, and now that I've gotten a taste for that, I don't want anything more to do with royal life.

How sad, that it's not my choice anymore.

As I am led through the halls like a prize, I shudder at chill drifting through the palace. Feeling dozens of curious gazes turned my way, I am left with no choice but to square my shoulders, straighten my back, and lift my chin proudly. I won't let them think me weak.

Still, that doesn't stop the pounding of my heart in my chest, or the fear threatening my composure. My father awaits.

A servant takes me to the war council room, where I am told to wait outside the two great doors. As the minutes tick by, I take deep breaths, trying to subdue my nerves.

How many months has it been? Four? It seems like ages that I've been away.

Finally, and yet too soon, I hear my father's commanding voice order me inside.

I stand straighter as two servants push the doors open for me, allowing me entrance to the room.

Dignified, I walk in, standing in front of the long council table with eyes staring defiantly into the face of the one man who I truly hate.

My father.

There is no greeting, no 'welcome back, I'm glad you came home', no smile, no warmth, no emotion other than self-satisfaction and annoyance. My father looks up from where he is going through reports on his desk. His eyes brighten when he sees me, but not in the loving kind of way. The way he looks at me reminds me of the way a businessman might look at a profitable sale.

"Well, it seems you finally came to your senses. Only a complete fool would willingly spend time with one of those _reptiles._ I expect that there will be no more shenanagins in the future. It is improper for a lady of your standing." He grunts, examining my reaction. "I must say, you caused me a great deal of trouble. Several of my best troops were taken away from the front lines because of you. We're still facing the consequences of it."

I clench my fists. _Am I just another inconvenience now, father?_

 _"_ Is that so?" I say through gritted teeth. _I'm glad._

He ignores me, leaning forward to discuss something with his advisors, a bunch of hard-faced, pompous men with matching scowls.

I look around the room, investigating my surroundings. There are several military officers standing around the perimeter of the room, apparently on hold from whatever meeting it was that they were having before I interrupted.

I count five military officers, plus one or two guards. With a relieved sigh, I catch sight of a familiar redhead. _Erza._

She returns my glance, staring with an expression that it somewhere between horror, shock, and concern. She asks a question with her eyes, but I can't answer her here. Remembering herself, Erza quickly regains her composure.

"It seems that you are unhurt, which will make things easier for us. We'll proceed with the engagement. Elise, notify Prince Cobra immediately."

Elise, my father's personal secretary, nods her head, stepping out of the room without so much as sparing a glance my way. I let out a sigh, then straighten my posture, feigning confidence. "There's no need, Elise. I won't be marrying the Prince."

A muscle jumps in my father's jaw. "You will marry the prince. That was our deal."

I lift my chin. "Actually, no." In the time that I was away, I've changed-I'm stronger than I was before. I'm not that weak, obedient girl who was blissfully ignorant of the real world. I can play this game. "Our agreement stated that I would return peacefully. I never said that I would marry Cobra."

Something flashes in his eyes, and he abruptly steps closer, so that we're only an arm's length apart. "You will obey, Lucy. You may not have agreed to marrying him, but I only agreed to keep your dragon-pet alive. There's nothing stopping me from making his life miserable."

My fist clenches involuntarily. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should've known that he would be able to easily jump over my little threat. My father is a cunning man. He hasn't sat on the throne in fiore for twenty years for no reason.

I can't stop the twinge of fear that nags at my stomach-I know he'd never hurt me; I'm to valuable. But my father would have no qualms about hurting Natsu.

His smiling face flashes across my mind, and I struggle to maintain my composure. Suddenly, I'm overcome with loneliness. Oh, what I would give to have him here right now!

My face stays frozen in its defiant scowl. "I will not. And if you hurt Natsu, you can say goodbye to any chance of me marrying cobra."

The king slams his fist into the table, making my heart jump. "I will NOT allow you to treat that _THING-,"_ I flinch, "-as if it has any humanity at all! Stop living in this illusion, Lucy! The dragon is a beast, and it must be exterminated. My _daughter_ will have nothing to do with such creatures!"

I swallow hard. If I push any further, my father will snap.

His pacing reminds me of a tiger trapped in a cage, ready to strike at the first offense. Everyone in the room is on guard, careful not to anger the king.

Still, I hold my ground. "I will not marry Cobra. And you will not hurt Natsu. He has no part in this."

At that, I turn on my heel, leaving the now stunned council with a slam of the double doors. My heart is still pounding in my chest, and I half-expect the king to come after me in a whirlwind of anger, but no one pursues me.

I storm down the halls, earning surprised looks from the servants, but I don't care.

My father has no idea who he's dealing with. I've learned a few things in the time that I was gone, and he can't control me with his threats anymore. Besides, he can't get to Natsu. He's safe behind the walls of the castle, where he can recover without disturbance.

The memories still haunt my mind. The lotus nectar, that last kiss, the way it seemed to cause him physical pain for me to leave. The hurt, the pain, the betrayal-it was all there. And now I'll never have him back.

 _Stop torturing yourself, Lucy. It's better this way._

Better for him. Not for me. But I guess that will have to suffice.

 _Please, Natsu. Live on for both of us._

Porlyusica was right. I should never have gotten so attached. I should never have let _him_ get attached. It's too late now. But do I actually regret falling in love with the dragon prince?

Even though it caused us so much pain, was it not worth all the memories we made? The things we gave each other-friendship, comfort, laughter...love. They were worth it, for two people who shared the grief of a broken family and a harsh upbringing. We were worth it, for each other. Even if it was only for a few months, those few months were the first time that I have really lived since my mother's death.

It's gone now. And it's my duty to protect the precious remnants of our time together. I can stop my father; I _will_ stop my father.

And after that...I don't know what will happen. But I'll push through, no matter what happens. My father can't break me.

My bedroom hasn't changed. Still the same lush velvet curtains, silk bedding, polished ivory furniture. It's fit for a princess, and I hate it.

The bed is too soft, I feel like I'm sinking right through it. The pillows offer no support, and the decorative tassels dig into my back.

The decorated ceiling makes me seethe in anger. It's a depiction of the sun, surrounded by scattered symbols of our _great_ nation.

The worst part is the painting on the far wall, which depicts a dragon being slain by a knight in shining golden armor. I choke back a scream. The blood spurting from the dragon's wounds seems so vibrant red, matching the more subtle red tones of the dragon's scales. The creature's green eyes look angry and dull, like those of a dumb livestock.

The worst part is, it looks almost exactly like Natsu.

I can't handle it. With a scream, I yank the painting off the wall, unable to look at such an awful depiction of the proud creatures. I throw it through the open window, taking out all my fury on one canvas.

I watch, satisfied, as it successfully demolishes a few carefully pruned rosebushes.

Feeling a little bit better, I turn back to my room, only to hear a knock on the door.

With a groan, I go to open it, but am pleasantly surprised by the only person who I actually don't hate at the moment.

"Erza!" I cry, squishing her in a hug.

The redhead seems taken aback by my enthusiasm, but hugs me back, breaking away after a moment. "The king is furious. You don't want to press him anymore."

I shake my head, looking into her eyes. "He can't hurt me."

She closes the door behind me, turning the lock carefully. "Yes...that may be true. But that doesn't stop him from taking it out on others."

"Others? Erza, there aren't any dragons left to torment, other than Natsu. As for the mages, they're all either in service to the military, or..." I drop my voice to a whisper. "...in hiding. No one knows about Fairy Tail. They're safe."

Erza looks uncomfortable. "Not exactly."

"Not exactly? What's that supposed to mean, Erza?!"

"They...well...most of the residents who've been living in Magnolia for a long time know about us. It wasn't hard to put together, after all, when we formed the tavern, most of them put two and two together. The same mages who were once apart of Fairy Tail were running a tavern...together. It raised some eyebrows. There's only a few dozen people, but if even one of them were to say something, it would completely blow our cover. We'd be arrested and executed within a day."

The room spins. I sink into a cushioned chair, feeling sick. My brain decides that this is a great time to start thinking up all the different ways this could go wrong.

"Lucy, I wish I could sugarcoat it. But if you really want to keep them safe, you can't afford to be rebellious like this." She sits beside me, placing a hand on my shaking shoulder.

Levy and Gajeel, MiraJane, Laxus, and the child that'll be due any day now. Elfman, Makarov, Cana, Wendy...everybody is counting on me now. To keep things steady on this end. I'm here to be the ambassador for magic-wielding people all over fiore.

Erza looks at me, compassion reflected in her eyes. "I'm wish it weren't like this, Lucy. You belong with us in Fairy Tail."

I nod my head, unable to speak.

She takes a deep breath. "You know...in the time that I've known you as just Lucy-not the princess Lucy, just you-I've never seen Natsu so happy. Never. He loves you."

I laugh humorlessly. "Is that supposed to be comforting?"

She shakes her head. "All I'm saying is, even if you're here and not there, we won't forget you. You'll be in our hearts no matter where you are."

Tears spill over onto my cheeks.

"And when all this is over-which it will be, soon enough-you'll come home. Even if we have to hack through an army of a thousand men, we'll bring you home. Just hold out for a while."

"Erza, I thought you said you wouldn't sugarcoat it. I'm not coming home." I sob.

Her eyes flash. "You will. You have my word. Just trust me."

"But-"

"Nope. No buts. this isn't the end for you."

I wipe away a tear, straightening up. I know she's only trying to make me feel better, and that none of it is true, but it gives me strength. "Okay. I'll trust you."

* * *

A week passes, and I still refuse to marry Cobra. The trouble that I've been giving my father makes me strangely satisfied, and I devote my time to thinking up new ways to rebel. When I'm not undergoing 'classes' in princess etiquette,(because apparently I need to be purified of the 'savage' influence from a dragon) I am closely watched round the clock. My brother hasn't been in the castle; he's away at the southern islands, negotiating a trade agreement. I want to see him more than anything, but Erza tells me that he can't be back for a few more days.

It's been a week. By now, the potion that I gave to Natsu will have worn off. I can only hope he has enough sense to stay hidden.

My heart still breaks thinking about it, and I quickly turn my focus to my embroidery.

The sewing mistress leans over my shoulder, scrutinizing my stitches with an expert eye. I scowl, purposefully making one stitch crooked and sloppy. She grunts in annoyance, going off on some rant about how my stitching resembles that of a lowborn peasant.

The conversation ends with me telling her that I'd rather be born a peasant than live like this, and calling her something I probably shouldn't have. She leaves in a whirlwind of stiff anger, and I smile at my success.

I look down at the stitching, examining the sloppy rose that I have created. With a start, I notice-for the first time-that the colors I subconsciously chose are all different shades of red, orange, and yellow. Like fire.

I throw the embroidery hoop across the room, burying my face in my hands. I can't forget, can I? Is it such a small request, to not constantly be tormented with reminders of him?

An hour later, I have a dress fitting. It takes another half hour for them to get me to stand still in my shift, and when I finally comply, it's only because my father threatens to execute a few mage-prisoners.

After that, I am as docile as I can be. I've overstepped his boundaries, and we both know it. I lift my arms, turn around, hold still, straighten up, walk around, do anything they ask of me. I need to lull my father back into thinking that he has me under at least some control.

"Ow!" I exclaim as the seamstress pricks me with a needle on accident.

"M-my apologies, your highness." The young girl squeaks, earning a harsh look from her mother, the head seamstress. The girl is maybe fifteen, but from what I've overheard, one of the most prodigious seamstresses in Fiore. She's a timid little thing, with hollow, deep set eyes and sunken cheeks, and I can't help feeling a twinge of sympathy. As her dress moves to the side with a sweep of her arm, I catch a glimpse of dark purple bruises below her collarbone. My breath hitches, and I look to the older woman. Her harsh face has scowl marks, the same lines that are etched into my father's forehead.

Suddenly I hate this woman. Whether she's directly responsible for the bruises or not, she is no different from my father.

He was pulled away from the fitting an hour ago, and hasn't returned. Erza went with him, giving me one _very_ worried look before following him out the door. Something about a disturbance at the gates.

After that, I make an effort to show obvious favoritism towards the girl. And when they leave, I slip a few gold coins into her hand, giving her a kind smile and a wink.

When I am back into my dress, a guard waits for me outside my bedroom. I see him, and automatically my mind goes on defense. What is going on?

"Your highness." The man says as I exit my bedroom, watching him warily.

"What is it?"

He examines me with blue eyes, as if evaluating me. "Your father instructed me to escort you."

"Where?"

His expression is unreadable, but from the way his whole body is stiff, I doubt it can be anything but bad. "Hurry up, he's not in a good mood."

I take my time following, dragging my feet. Anything to delay an encounter with the king.

Since when does my father have me escorted around the castle? Is he worried that I'll run away? He knows I can't, I would be caught within five minutes of leaving the premise.

So why the guard?

A mark flashes on his armor. The mark of a high-ranking officer.

Whatever is going on, I guess I'm about to find out. We've arrived at the war council room, where my father seems to spend all of his time these days.

We enter, and my father looks up from his desk with eyes like a hawk. "Ah, Captain Fullbuster. It took you long enough."

The guard just nods, expression blank. He retreats to stand in the back, next to a certain red-haired soldier. They exchange a glance, and for a split moment I see something in his expression that is very, very worried.

This doesn't go unnoticed by me. Is he a friend of Erza's?

My attention is regained when my father clears his throat. "Lucy, you have continuously disobeyed my instructions. You have refused this marriage because of your own selfishness, and because you can't seem to understand that we are looking at a full blown war here. I have tried-" He pauses to cough,"-to be reasonable. I have _tried_ to be understanding. But you, young lady, have made it more difficult for both of us."

I set my jaw. I know where this is going.

"I want you to understand, you forced me into this. I has no option but to go through with the engagement."

His words hit me like a punch in the gut. He signed? Without my consent?

"Prince Cobra will arrive in three days. The engagement ball will be held that evening, so you can get to know him better then." He says, emotionless. He looks me in the eye, as if challenging me to refuse.

I take a deep breath. Here we go again. "I don't understand how you think that will change my mind about anything. I still won't marry him."

Erza is trying to catch my eye, shaking her head. I look away, diverting my gaze back to my father's cold blue eyes.

"I thought you'd say that." He says, sounding so self-satisfied that I want to slap him across his smug face. "But, my dear, I think I may have something that will change your mind."

I cross my arms. "Not likely."

He smirks, waving a hand forward. "Bring him in."

I spot Erza stiffen from across the room. For the first time, confusion sets itself in the back of my mind. Him?

Moments later, two guards bring in a man, bruised and beaten, dirt marring the vibrant pink color of his hair. His hands are secured behind his back with what I have come to recognize as anti-magic handcuffs, which prevent the prisoner from using any type of magic. The open shirt he wears is burnt and riddled with holes. The scarf that was so dear to him is now nowhere to be found.

My heart stops as they drag his form into the center of the room, dropping him to the floor with a heart-wrenching thud.

Natsu.

I gasp, forgetting to keep my composure. Natsu pushes himself up onto his knees, meeting my stare, equally shocked.

No. This can't be happening, it's only been a day since he's been able to move! It takes two days to travel from there to here on foot, this is impossible! The only feasible way he could've gotten here so fast would be if he flew...

Oh no. No he didn't.

Natsu coughs. "Lucy!"

Forgetting everyone else in the room, I step forward and throw my arms around him, shaking with anger and joy at the same time.

His scent calms me down. To tell the truth, everything about him does. For one moment I let myself ignore everyone else in the room, and bask in the fact that he's here.

"Luce..."He murmurs in my ear, so only I can hear. "I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough to take 'em all down."

I shake my head, whispering back, "You're an idiot. I told you to stay."

He raises an eyebrow good-naturedly. "Since when do I ever listen?"

Our exchange lasts about five seconds, and that's about how long it takes for my father to yell at the guards to seperate us.

As rough hands grab my arms and pull me away, Natsu snarls at the guards, earning himself a bruise on his cheek. I whirl around, facing my father.

"We had a deal!" I shout, enraged. I so badly want to punch the man in the land down under, but I'm smarter than that.

He smiles cruelly. "So we did. But you forget, I _am_ the king of Fiore. I can do whatever I want. And technically, he came to us. The beast tried to storm the gates earlier this morning."

His words barely register before I feel new anger rise in my chest. "I'm the one thing stopping you from going to war! You need me, and you know it."

"You will comply!"

"Unless you free him, I won't!"

It happens so fast, I barely register it before his hand swings against my face, the smack resounding through the silent council room and leaving me shocked, clutching my face with one hand.

Natsu roars, of course. It takes three guards to pin him down.

My father steps toward him. "Look at you, little lizard. I expected you to be a bit more of a challenge for my men. You really aren't all that I expected."

Natsu, surprisingly, doesn't respond. He may be stupid, but he's gathered that my father is a dangerous man. He only glares up at the king with fire in his eyes.

"Aww, are you mad? Did I hurt your feelings? It's too bad your daddy wasn't here to protect you this time. Oh, oops, I'm sorry. I forgot. I killed him."

Natsu's shoulder jerks, and I swear there is smoke rising from his body.

I'm still standing there, staring at the floor in shock. The pain in my cheek throbs, but I don't feel it. My father has never, _ever,_ hit me. I can't even comprehend it.

"And your mother-she was nice, for a dragon. Quite the beautiful woman, when she wasn't a beast. If she was human, I would've married her." My father is finding every crack and every opening in Natsu's barrier, trying to break him, to get him to snap. Natsu knows it, too. That's the only reason why he hasn't said anything. "I can still remember the way she screamed, right before I shot her through the head."

I swallow, hard. I remember that day. It's burnt into my mind, the first scar on my stolen innocence. "Stop."

"You're the last Dragneel. It will be my great pleasure to wipe out your dynasty once and for all." He grins. "But that can wait until after the _wedding._ Maybe we can hold your execution just after the marriage ceremony, to celebrate. I do hear that Prince Cobra likes to wear dragon scales in his crown"

I feel sick. Natsu's eyes have begun to resemble flaming coals.

"My family is dead. That's not something I can change." He says, his voice coming out as a low growl. "But Lucy isn't yours. Lucy is mine, and I won't let you have her. You don't even deserve to call her your daughter. So for all I care, you can take your stuck-up, ridiculous ideas and take 'em to hell with you."

There is a collective gasp from those watching. I shudder, knowing that Natsu has just dug his own grave.

How do I intervene here?

Before my father can do anything, I step between them and put on my most defiant expression. "I am not property. And from what I've gathered, this whole war is your fault. If it weren't for the Dragon Purge, we would be fine right now. You're actions led up to this. It's about time you grew up and realized that."

I immediately steel myself for another blow, knowing that I've gone too far this time.

The blow never comes. Instead, my father steps forward so that we're inches apart. He grabs my jaw roughly, turning my head so he can whisper in my ear. "You will never, _never,_ disobey me again. If you step out of line, even once, he's dead. If you defy me, he's dead. You're the only reason why I've even kept him alive, and if you mess up, it's his life you'll be losing. I'll be watching you, Lucy. You had better behave or so help me god, I will destroy everything you have ever cared about."

My eyes go wide, and my breaths start to come shakily. His anger almost radiates off him, like waves of cold air washing over the room. It's terrifying.

He steps back, and I'm relieved when he releases my jaw. His eyes glint with inhuman cruelty. Unable to support myself, I sink to the ground in defeat.

"Okay. Alright, I'll..." I choke on the words. "I'll do it."

My father straightens, puffing on his pipe with a satisfied smile. "I'm glad you could see it my way."

Natsu, however, isn't so happy about the whole thing. "WHAT? "

"Just one thing. As soon as the marriage is over, you let him go." I say, ignoring Natsu's outburst with a twinge of guilt.

He nods. "We have a deal.

Finally, the guards are forced to put a gag on Natsu and take him away, struggling the whole way. His eyes never leave my face, even when they shove him out the doors and shut them with a bang.

I watch them go, feeling completely lost the moment Natsu is taken from me. And now, after what just happened, I've pretty much signed away my life.

I can only hope that it's worth it.

* * *

 **Yippee day. I finished!**

 **I just read the most amazing fanfic called trust me. I need more angsty nalu romance in my life. XD.**

 **So yeah, that's that. I just finished Anohana and DIDN'T CRY! Darn it, I was hoping it would make me cry, but I guess not.**

 **:(**

 **Until next time, my lovelies!**


	15. One Last Kiss

**Hey all!**

 **Yes I am back from the dead! And let me formally apologize for making y'all wait. I just spent a week in missouri where the bugs in their pools bite and all the waiters refer to you as 'dear' or 'hon' which was totally weird and sketchy but oh well the food was good-ish. Buuuut I did ride Veruckt which is the world's TALLEST FREAKING WATERSLIDE**

 **So a few of you have been complaining about all the angst that has occured of late. I must formally apologize for any pain that I have caused.**

 **Just kidding, I regret nothing. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!**

 **But it does get better from here! Um well maybe after this chapter. I think. Pretty sure. Well there is that one part…**

 **You know what? Let's add some Nalu to this chappy. You're welcome. (And by that I mean very welcome cuz it turned out to be a much bigger moment than I anticipated.)**

 **Without further ado, Chapter 15!**

 **Natsu's POV**

The guards shove me roughly down several flights of stairs, causing me to stumble and lose my footing several times. I wrinkle my nose as I am taken deeper into the filthy dungeon, feeling my stomach churn at the scent of blood, sweat, and bodies that haven't bathed in years. If there's anything down here that's even remotely pleasant, it's drowned out by the overwhelming reek of human misery.

I peer inside each cell we pass, examining the faces of the imprisoned. I stop myself from staring at the children sleeping on the cold floor.

Finally, after ten flights of stairs, they push me into a cramped cell and bolt the door with a bone-jarring thud.

I'm left alone in the cell, surrounded by concrete walls on all four sides. After recovering from my rather unceremonious entrance, I throw myself at the door with all my might, testing its strength. It doesn't budge. Roaring, I throw my shoulder against it once more, to no avail.

With a sigh of defeat, I shuffle across the cell and plop myself down on the slimy floor. My cell is dimly lit; the only light comes from a flickering torch a few feet down the hall. In that light, I can just barely make out a small chamber pot in the far corner, and a pile of filthy rags next to it. I lean my head back against the wall, wrinkling my nose at the stench. What have I gotten myself into?

 _"Lucy isn't yours. Lucy is mine, and I won't let you have her. You don't even deserve to call her your daughter. So for all I care, you can take your stuck-up, ridiculous ideas and take 'em to hell with you."_

I just told the King to go to hell.

I press my lips together, glaring at the wall. I don't regret anything. He deserved it.

But Lucy….

I saw her expression. She wasn't relieved to see me. She wasn't happy. If anything, my appearance brought her more grief. I guess I can't blame her; our situation isn't exactly looking up. But she should know by now that I'm not going to let her go through this alone.

The next morning, or what I think must be morning, the squeaking hinges of my cell door jolt me from a dreamless sleep. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and stretching out a few kinks, I squint against the blinding light, barely able to see the guards who are reaching for my arms. Without a word, they drag me up the stairs once more.

Before I am fully awake, I find myself back in the council room. It's mostly empty this time; there are only four people present.

I feel the hairs rise on my neck as I raise my head to see the King in all his cruel glory. He sits behind his desk, looking at me with a cruel glint in his eyes. I swallow down the dread rising in my throat.

As the guards release me and leave the room, I take note of the other three people present. There's Hades, looking smug with his neatly pressed uniform -I clench my fist to keep myself from hurling a string of profane insults in his direction-and some young man who I don't recognize, but his eyes match Lucy's own warm brown ones. Then, there's Erza, standing off to the side, and looking like she would rather be anywhere else. Our eyes meet briefly, but she quickly averts her gaze. We both know there's nothing she can do for me.

The king clears his throat, sending me the coldest glare I have ever seen. "Natsu Dragneel. You've given me quite a lot of trouble over the past few months."

I shudder at his tone, but mask my apprehension with a cocky grin. "Trouble? _I've_ given _you_ trouble?! You have no idea what the word means. If you think that what I've been giving you is trouble, then you're welcome, you old bastard."

My words come out a lot louder than I intended. I realize that it's stupid to say something like that to the King of Fiore, but...well, I can't help it.

To my surprise, the king laughs, stepping out from behind his desk. "Impudent. I like you. It's more satisfying to break the defiant ones."

A growl rumbles through my chest. "You won't break me."

In a flash, pain erupts through my stomach, and I double over, barely recovering before he brings his knee back once more to strike. I'm tough, I've been bruised and beaten plenty of times. It will take a lot of effort to put me on the ground.

I take a shuddering breath, standing slowly. I look him in the eye steadily.

My hands are behind my back, secured with cuffs. If my hands were free, he would be dead by now. "Hitting a man while he's helpless? I knew you were a scumbag, but really..."

"Oh, but you're not a man," He grunts. "You're not even human."

With the last word, his fist slams into my jaw, making me stumble. I suppress a few curses, controlling my temper quite effectively. I won't give him any satisfaction.

"You may have convinced my daughter," He knees me in the stomach yet again, sending me to my knees. My abdomen aches, and at the moment I want nothing more than to curl up in a ball. "-but I see through your deception. You are a monster. You aren't even worthy of the human shell that you wear to disguise what you really are."

My gut twists angrily at his words.

"Are you sure you aren't-" The breath is stolen from me when he buries a punch in my chest, and I wheeze to get air in my lungs. "-describing...(gasp)...yourself?"

He raises a hand, and I prepare for the next blow. "I do what's best for my country. Fiore will be made great again, and it will have Jude Heartfilia to thank for it!"

Pain blossoms in my ribs. I'll admit, he's surprisingly good at this. I didn't think he would even know how to punch.

I'm vaguely aware of Erza watching, concerned, from the side of the room. I don't expect her to interfere, and she doesn't. We both know this is my problem to deal with.

How many times has he hit me? I've lost count. But more imminent in my mind is the thought that _this_ is the man that Lucy grew up with. How many times did he hit her? How many tear-filled nights were spent hiding from the man who killed a whole race?

Even though my mind is clouded by pain, I don't lose sight of the one ray of hope that tells me we'll get out of this, together. Always together.

I stare numbly at the wall. It's all my fault, I guess, thinking that I couold fix all my probems just by running away. I should've known from the start, that no matter what I do, I'll always end up back here.

I lie down atop the fluffy feather cushions, which are way too lightweight and don't give me any comfort at all. I find myself missing the simple quilts from my bedroom back home, with Natsu and Happy and Fairy Tail. Except that now, none of that matters anymore. I can never go back for fear of giving them away.

A lump forms in my throat. _I'm sorry Natsu. I didn't thank this would happen._ Thinking of him, all alone, injured, and imprisoned somewhere in the palace, makes my heart hurt.

Twin tears roll down my cheeks. In a few days the engagement will be settled, and I'll prepare for a new life-without Natsu.

And I wonder, what will it be life? To lose everything and start over, still carrying the memories with me for the rest of my dull and unhappy life. Without him, I'm not the same person.

I would rather die, but I can't. Not with my friends depending on me to protect them all.

So resign myself to my fate, knowing there is nothing I can do to change it. But that still leaves the matter of making sure everyone I love is safe.

I don't have a clue how I will free Natsu, but I will. I can manipulate father into releasing him, then somehow convince the dragon-prince to leave without me and never come back.

I only hope he can go on living for both of us, because as soon as I say "I do," the rest of my life will be spent in a foreign land, where no one wants me and where I will be expected to perform all the boring royal duties expected of a Queen.

 _I hate him_. My father. The man who ruined my life.

Someone knocks at the door. Maybe a servant, come to bring tea or something.

"Come in." I say without really caring either way.

The doors open, and in walks the one person I need to see right now. My brother.

He pauses just inside the room, looking me over with a slightly concerned gaze. "Hey, sis."

I don't wait another moment; I jump off the bed and nearly tackle him with a hug, holding on tight and burying my face in his chest, crying like I did when we were younger, and I was scared of the dark or upset about some trivial dispute. Only now, it's grief that I'm feeling, and it's tearing me apart from the inside. There is no stopping it, and these emotions are raw, human, and horribly real. He just hugs me tight and lets me cry, stroking the top of my head in a soothing manner.

Finally, the tears stop coming. I break away, looking up at the only real family I have left in the world. He looks sad, but also angry. Very, very angry.

"I swear, I will kill that man. Look what he's done to you!" He growls. It seems like I've heard those exact words from Natsu before.

I nod, not daring to speak. After several shaky attempts to compose myself, I manage a few words. "He has Natsu."

"I know. But your friend will live. He's got a few bruises, a few broken bones, but he's still just as loud and mouthy as he was when he arrived."

Another person enters the room, a guard. I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "Who's that?"

Malachi turns around. "Right. Lucy, this is a friend of mine, Captain Gray Fullbuster."

Said friend nods his head in my direction. "Highness."

I stare him down skeptically. "Gray Fullbuster? As in, _Gray Fullbuster?"_

"Of Fairy Tail, yeah. The one and only."

Malachi looks back at me. "Look, Lucy. He and I have been forming a plan to…" He looks behind his shoulder, and lowers his voice. "We've been planning to overthrow the king."

"What? How?" I gasp. I never thought Malachi would ever be capable of stepping even just a bit out of line.

He frowns, "We'll tell you later. For now, there's someone you might want to see."

My heart starts doing cartwheels in my chest. _Natsu._

They take me down more flights of stairs tha I've ever been before. Malachi occasionally uses his authority to deter a few curious guards, but we finally arrive at a set of heavy metal doors.

"What is this?" I ask. We're on a very deep, dark level of the palace, deep underground. Nothing but torches light the passage.

Gray grimaces. "It's a dungeon. Haven't you been down here before?"

I shiver, shaking my head.

Malachi turns a key in the lock, pushing the doors open with a loud creak Light floods into the dark room beyond.

I look inside, and catch my breath, Inside are two very large iron cages, like the kind you might fit a huge beast in. The rest of the room is filled with tables, each hodling an assortment of wicked instruments.

I turn my attention to the first cage, which holds a pink haired figure, slouched in the far corner like a ragdoll.

"Natsu!"

With a groan he lifts his head, but as soon as he sees me, he gets up and grips the bars with white knuckles. "Lucy!"

My feet carry me forward so that I'm kneeling in front of him, tears streaming down my face. "You look awful. What did they do to you?!"

And he does. There's a nasty bruise on his right cheekbone, and he's clutching his ribs like it hurts to move. No doubt his old wounds have reopened.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

"No, you're not fine. Have you even done _anything_ to fix yourself up?" I exclaim, exasperation mingling with the worry that only grows bigger with each passing second.

"The idiot badmouthed the king and got himself beaten up for it." Gray says helpfully.

"Gray! You're here too?" Natsu looks up with a grin that's just a little less bright than normal.

The guard looks at his friend with tired, concerned eyes. "I'm here. Where I'm actually _supposed_ to be."

I hear the click of a lock as my brother opens the cage door, nodding in my direction. "Well, I'll let you fix him up. Gray, a word?"

As the two companions retreat to the other side of the room, I grab a wad of bandages and a tub of healing salve.

"Idiot." I mutter as I sit beside him on the cold iron floor.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've heard that this week." He grunts, eyeing me carefully.

I place a hand against his cheek, examining the bruise. He tries to cover up the grimace on his face, but only ends up sucking in a breath and squeezing his eyes shut. "Ow."

"Maybe if you used your head for once, it wouldn't hurt so much." I dab at some of the dried blood with a damp rag.

"Since when have I ever used my head?" He forces a laugh. "And besides, I've been waiting to say some of those things for ten years. Do you really-Ow, that hurts!-think I'd give up the chance to give him a piece of my mind?"

I shake my head in defeat, unrolling a few feet of bandage to wrap his black and purple abdomen. "You're just making more work for me. And don't you dare go getting yourself killed, since you seem to love pissing off important jerks."

He chuckles, which quickly turns into a wheezing cough. He leans his head back against the bars, closing his eyes, exhausted. "Where would I be without you?"

"Not here. Don't lie to yourself, Natsu. If it weren't for me, you'd be safe back home, and no one would ever have disturbed your life. No one would want you dead. No one would be hunting you down." I snap sharply, feeling my eyes start to fill with tears again. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't be in this mess.

"Don't say that, Luce. No one forced me to do anything. It was my choice to get involved and I haven't regretted it for a moment." He reaches to gently wipe a tear from my cheek. "Besides, I'm not gonna let you spend the rest of your life married to some jerk."

I give him a sad smile, tying off the bandages around his ribs. "There's nothing either of us can do about it. I'll….I'll become queen of Bosco. I'll convince the King to let you go. You and everyone else can go live somewhere far away from his reach."

"Like hell I'm gonna let _that_ happen." He growls.

I don't meet his eyes. I'm afraid that the passionate inferno that I'll find will completely shred my resolve, like it's done so many times before. "It's the only way."

"It's not the only way. We'll find another." Natsu murmurs. "I love you, Luce. I can't let you go like that."

I don't speak. My tongue can't form the words to put what I feel into speech. So I just nod, letting him plant a firm kiss on my lips. We might as well savor the time we have. There's no convincing my dragon prince that it's over, that there is no possoible way for us be together. So I don't try. I just wrap my arms around him, as the tears begin to fall and the uncontrollable sobs begin to wrack my shoulders. His arms wrap around them and hug me tightly to his chest.

Just one more day. Is that too much to ask? One more day back at the estate, one more day to just _be._ Him and me. Natsu and Lucy. A dragon and a Princess. Who would've thought?

Something wet drips onto my forehead. I look up to see that Natsu's crying too, silently. It hits me that I've never seen him cry.

"Natsu…."I begin, looking up at him. My voice trembles slightly, sounding incredibly weak. We're running out of time. "I'm...I'm scared."

He shuts his eyes tightly, pulling me closer without saying a word. I feel his body shaking with silent sobs. So I stay there, letting him hold me, because this will be the last time.

The last time. No more carefree days spent on the beach, or in the town. No more joking around. It's time for me to let go of this dream and go back to reality, in which I'm a princess and there is no knight in shining armor, in which nothing is fair and happy endings aren't possible, in which I'm expected to wear awful, stiff dresses and have tea with boring old delegates who make a habit of staring down young womens' bodices.

"You'll find someone else, when I'm gone." I whisper into his chest. "You'll get over it. Please, promise me you will."

He doesn't respond.

"Natsu, please promise you'll do at least that." My voice shakes, and I'm afraid I'll break into incomprehensible blubbers. "I'll feel more at peace if I know that you've moved on. There're plenty of girls out there, maybe you could-"

"Shut up!" He hisses. "Shut up! I don't want to hear any of that shit! If I'm freed, I swear, I will spend the rest of my life getting you back. Even if they lock me up and you marry that man, I won't give up until I've gotten you away from here. From them. From the whole damn country."

He scowls down at me, his cheeks still streaked with tears. "So don't you dare talk like that, Lucy Heartfilia. You're mine, and no one else's. Don't go giving up hope on us."

Our lips clash in a matter of moments, and I revel in the way we're totally synchronized. The taste of his lips on mine. The smoky smell of his hair, his clothes. The way he holds me close to him like he never wants to let go. There is no doubt in my mind that he is, and always will be, the one man I can ever love. And there is also no doubt in my mind that my heart will be torn into two pieces when we're seperated forever. He'll always have that piece of my heart.

"I love you." I whisper when we break apart, foreheads still touching.

Somewhere in the background I hear Malachi telling me that it's time to go. Somehow I find it in me to nod, making my legs stand and move away. But all I can see is a head of rosy pink hair.

As we leave the cold, dark room, the last thing I see is the doors closing and Natsu watching us go.

 **IT's DONE! CHAPTER 15, AFTER LIKE A WHOLE YEAR! Sorry for going MIA on y'all, I will just say this took me so much effort and self-motivation. But I did it! Only….um…*mentally tries to count remaining chappies* *fails because of mental retardedness after not having school for a month***

 **So has anybody been reading the manga? Chapter 494 just came out and omg just omg I can't handle anything that Trollshima has been throwing at us. I mean, this latest hapter wasn't nearly as bad as the others, but still….and no spoilers but who/what is Rakheid!? What the heck is going on here?!**

 **-end rant-**

 **Until next time, my dudes!**


	16. Escape again

**Hey y'all!**

 **It's done! Yay! Chapter 16!**

 **Okay I'm just gonna start off by saying I love you all and your reviews make me sooo happy honestly it's addicting reading them.**

 **Secondly, sorry about the whole taking forever part. My parents stole my laptop and are holding it hostage. I will try my best to rescue it but the chances are slim.**

 **Also, I kinda lost my flashdrive which had my chapter-by-chapter plot on it so idk but it should be fine. Here we go! Chapter 16!**

 **Lucy's POV**

I always used to love dresses. Lace, silk, velvet-I wore it all. The royal lifestyle was a good fit for me, until a few months ago. Now, standing in nothing but a shift and surrounded by hordes of fast-working seamstresses, I can't help feeling awkward.

One plump lady holds two swathes of fabric up to my face, one made of soft pink cotton and the other of dark silk, the color of dragon scales. She scowls at it for a few moments before moving to set aside the dark red piece in favor of the pink.

"Wait," I burst, unable to stop myself. "Not the pink-use the red…. Please."

She looks surprised for a moment, and then just shrugs, never changing her sour expression. "Are ye sure 'bout that, princess?"

I finger the fabric for a few moments, letting the color remind me of better times. After a breath, I nod. "Yes. Use the red."

After that, everything goes by in a blur: I do as I'm told and turn to the left, or to the right, I lift my arms or stay perfectly still. Anything to please the picky seamstresses that chirp and strut around me like short, nasty birds.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of scissors and stitching, I'm outfitted in a ballgown fit for a princess. When they turn the mirror so that I can look at myself, I put my hands behind my back to hide their shaking. The girl in the mirror isn't Lucy, the girl who used to cry in her brother's room at night. The girl in the mirror isn't Lucy, the girl who dared to run away from her fate.

The girl in the mirror is outfitted in bloodred silk, laced with gold trim. Her face is sober, her eyes bitter with cold vengeance. She's beautiful. She's more gorgeous than I could ever be, which is why she terrifies me.

It hits me that she's the perfect match for a cruel tyrant like prince Cobra.

I take a shuddering breath. "Out."

My heart is pounding rapidly in my chest, even though I've been standing still for an hour. When the servants all freeze, looking at me with confused faces, I fix them with my best glare. Little do they know, I'm about to fall to pieces. "Get out. All of you."

My voice rises on the last word, and they scramble out of the room without waiting for a formal invitation. With the room empty, I let my knees give out, and I sink onto the cold stone floor, letting my hands tremble to the point that if I was holding anything fragile, it would fall and shatter.

I'm marrying Cobra. Possibly the cruelest man alive. He's going to be my husband.

I'm going to go live in a foreign country for the rest of my life.

In three hours, Cobra will arrive. Tonight, we have the official engagement ball to celebrate our future marriage. A week after that, we are to be married.

I don't know if I can do this.

I can't even express what I would do to have a friend right now. Someone who would reassure me and remind me that everything is going to be okay, that I'm making the right decision. Gray, Malachi, Erza-they don't count. My brother has gotten me through plenty of tough times, but this is different. This requires female counsel.

If Levy were here, she'd cheer me up with a pep talk about finding my inner strength and knowing that my friends were always behind me. If Mira were here, there would be plenty of hugging and crying. A good cry is always good for any situation. Lisanna would listen quietly and find some way to see the good in the situation.

But they aren't here and I can only be strong for so long. My palms turn sweaty even just thinking about marrying that jerk, and my stomach has tied itself into a million knots. I think I might be sick.

A knock comes at the door. "Your highness, you're needed in the study."

I raise my head out of my hands. "Okay." The word comes out weak. I clear my throat and try again, more boldly this time. "Okay, I'll be right there."

Five seconds. That's how long it takes for me to find my composure. I can't allow myself to have another breakdown like that again. Straightening up and regaining my composure, I raise my chin proudly, and pretend that I'm not shaking in my slippers.

 _Three hours later_

 **Third POV**

A carriage clattered up the cobblestone drive, jerking to a stop right outside the palace doors. Everyone knew who the carriage carried, and the whole air in the castle seemed tense with the expectation of recieving such an important guest.

A well-dressed, attractive young man stood at the top of the steps, arms clasped confidently behind his back, awaiting his guest. The footmen hopped off their perches and quickly reached to open the door, making way for another young man to step out onto the cobblestone.

He had dirty brick-red hair, which was an odd feature, but not nearly as odd as some of the colors displayed in the kingdom of Fiore. The scar over his right eye was the only defect on his otherwise perfectly groomed person.

The young man strolled up the steps as if he owned the place, making eye contact with his peer and flashing a chilling grin.

"Well, what a surprise. It's angel-boy himself, come down from heaven just to say hello." He sneered. "Don't you have a little girl to babysit?"

"Cut the crap, Cobra, you knew I'd be here." The other man replied cooly. "Your servants may take your things to your quarters. Walk with me, I believe we have important matters to discuss."

Cobra gestured for his servants to carry several heavy trunks into the palace. After a polite moment, his companion began walking in the direction of the stables. The foreign prince doubled his pace to catch up.

"Do you have everything in place on your end?" He asked, dropping the sneer that had previously been permenantly etched into his features.

"Oh please, you insult me." The other man said. "Yes, I have everything that we need, for the most part. The princess is under some delusion that she loves the dragon, however."

Cobra scoffed. "She can love him, I don't care. Soon enough, they'll both be too dead for me to care."

His companion flinched, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one heard. "Would you like to shout that from the palace turrets, Cobra?"

"Calm down. No one cares about a dragon." He sneered. "You of all people have reason to hate them anyways. But that's aside the point."

His companion scoffed. "Right, whatever. I know of a sage just east of Magnolia. He can make the poisons neccesary to make her death look like an accident. I was thinking that the king and his daughter both succumbing to some awful, incurable disease at the same time would be a little suspicious, but no one will guess the truth."

"Good." Cobra smiled. "Slip it to me after the wedding, and it will be done. That still leaves your half of the bargain."

"I have my ways. Trust me."

"We'll see."

He started to walk away, but his companion grabbed his arm sleeve. "Wait."

The red-hed glared at him impatiently. "What?"

"There's one more thing," He said. "The dragon-he had allies. A secret mage's guild known as Fairy Tail. It's been kept away from the King's knowledge for years. I'm worried they might interefere with our plans."

Cobra smiled coldly. "I don't know what you expect me to do about it. _You're_ the crown prince, Malachi. Make them dissapear. When our armies unite to build our empire, we can't have them in the way."

"Right, I just wanted to warn you-we may have killed off most of the dragons, but the mages-they're still out there. If I were you, I'd purge my kingdom of the vermin before trying to take over the entire continent.

"Thanks for the advice, angel-boy. I'll try to remember. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to practice my speech for my future wife's funeral. I'm an aspiring widower, y'know."

"Right." Malachi said. "I hope it's indoors, I'd hate to get rained on."

 **Lucy's POV**

"You'll be fine. Just take a deep breath, smile, and act like you're thrilled to be engaged to a psychopath." Malachi coaches me, looking every bit the charming prince. He's dressed in a formal suit, which looks incredibly uncomfortable but at the same time brings out the squareness of his jaw and his clean haircut.

"Great. Is this convincing enough?" I say grouchily, giving him the most fake smile I've ever worn.

"Come to think of it, I don't think he'll care." He admits. "Prince Cobra isn't the most caring soul in the world."

"Thanks, that's so reassuring."

My brother smiles. He may be the crown prince, but right now he's just my big brother. "You'll do great. Just remember, if he starts being unbearably rude, I'll spike his drink with sleeping potion for you."

"You wouldn't do that." I say, laughing nervously.

"You'd be surprised."

 _An hour earlier~_

The young man sat dejectedly in his cell, absentmindedly tossing a pebble in the palm of his hand. He hadn't seen another human being since Lucy's visit the other day, and he was going stir-crazy in the confines of the iron bars. He needed to know what was going on-had Cobra arrived? Was he with Lucy now? The very thought made the young man bristle with anger.

He tossed the pebble in his hand again, which hit the ceiling and fell back down with a quiet thunk.

He reached for it again, just as a creaking sound was heard from the far side of the room. The door was opening.

He stood up, suddenly alert. They didn't smell like Lucy.

Two figures entered the room. Natsu recognized one of them as Lucy's brother-whatever his name was. The other was a stooped old man, who Natsu had never seen in his life. He had a creepy, sadistic smile that sent chills down Natsu's spine.

"What do you want?" Natsu asked grouchily.

The man came up to the bars, staring at the boy as if he were some fascinating specimen.

"It's fantastic." The man cackled. "It looks just like a human."

"That's the only similarity, I can assure you." The crown prince sneered. "Can you do it?"

Natsu scoffed indignantly. "I'm a he, not an it. Get your face out of mine, old man."

The old man chuckled, reaching into his pocket. "I concocted this before the dragon purge came about. I never thought I'd actually need it again. But it'll do the trick, I can assure you."

He pulled out a dark amber liquid. Natsu backed away quickly. "What the hell is that?"

Malachi smiled coldly. "Just a little something to ensure that dragonkind is never trusted again."

As the man lit the vial on fire and smashed it in the cage, Natsu watched the thick fumes rise up and engulfe him with a sense of complete dread.

 _Now~_

A paige opens the door to the parlor. "You're highnesses, the prince awaits."

We exchange a glance.

"We'll be right there. Thank you." Malachi says politely.

I look down at my skirts, smoothing them out with a deep breath.

Malachi helps me up and offers me his arm. "Shall we?"

I do my best to smile, and place my hand on his arm. Within moments, we're approaching the ballroom, where the guests have begun to arrive. Everyone looks up as we appear at the top of the grand staircase, and looking out over the sea of faces, I find myself wishing once more for the solitude of a little castle in the middle of nowhere.

"Presenting His royal highness, Prince Malachi Louis Raphaelo Heartfilia the first, and Her royal highness, Princess Lucy Elliana Celeste Heartfilia." The herald booms from his position at the top of the stairs, and the guests all bow or curtsy, making an aisle for us to walk through.

My brother and I make our way down the stairs, both sporting brilliant, practiced smiles, and doing our best to appease the public. But the truth is, we're both just two children who are facing the world together. Us versus them. As soon as the thought enters my head, I look for the source of all my problems, only to see him sitting on his golden throne, my future husband by his side.

I stiffen. I guess Malachi notices, because, he gives me a reassuring grin. We finally go to stand before the throne. I remove my arm from his to curtesy to my father and to Cobra, although my smile towards them both is laced with poison.

"Prince Cobra, allow me to once again introduce to you my daughter, Lucy." My father says, looking very smug.

Cobra takes my hand. I resist the urge to snatch it back. With a cold smile he leans down to plant a kiss on it, a formal show of courtesy. "Princess. It is truly a privilege to see you again."

I grit my teeth. "You flatter me, prince."

His eyes are cold and dead when he smiles. The orchestra starts up, and he cordially extends an arm. "Shall we?"

My eyes dart around the room, looking for escape. Of course, there is none. There is no getting out of this. With an internal groan, I take his arm and place my hand on his shoulder awkwardly as the two of us sweep onto the dance floor.

"So, I hear you're quite the little adventurer." He says. "Is it true that you spent several months in the clutches of a dragon?"

I stiffen, averting my eyes. "Yes."

"How interesting. Was it really as fearful as everyone claims?" He leans in with interest.

"No." I try not to hiss. "He was every bit as civilized as you and I."

Cobra looks taken aback by my defiant statement for a moment. Then, to my horror, he laughs.

"Oh, Lucy. So naiive. That dragon was no person. It's a beast. You should be grateful that he's dead." He laughs again.

My face flushes with rage. I'm about ready to slap him across his ugly face when someone taps my shoulder. "Excuse me?"

We both turn to see a clean shaven older man; a noble, if his elegant clothing are anything to go by. He has a kind smile, and His black eyes seem to radiate wisdom. The only thing odd about him is his dark red hair.

"May I cut in?" He says cheerfully.

Cobra looks between the man and myself, and then his gaze drifts to a group of young women across the room. "Sure, have at it."

We both watch him stroll across the ballroom, heading straight for the young women. I'm not even upset.

"I am truly sorry about your situation." The man finally says, taking my hand and beginning the very eloquent waltz. "He isn't deserving of you."

"It is my duty as the princess of my country. I am honored." I say numbly, holding my head up high.

"Are you really?" He says quietly. There is a fiery glint in his eye. It quickly disappears, leaving me wondering if I imagined it. "So tell me, did you enjoy your time away?"

I'm taken by surprise by the question, blinking a few times. "Um, pardon?"

"You spent the last few months in the countryside, did you not?"

"Ye...yes." I say, still reeling. "I enjoyed them very much."

I don't know what it is, but there's something about this man-he's not everything that he seems.

"Good. I'm sure it must be nice to get away from royal duties for a while." He says. There it is. That feeling that he's withholding something, some important piece of information.

"I would have loved to stay there longer," I say carefully. "But the King wanted me here."

"Hm. Of course." He notices my melancholy expression. "He used to be a good man, your father. But that man died with Layla."

I look at him, indignant. How dare he pretend to know my parents? "Who are you?"

He shakes his head good-naturedly, but his expression quickly changes to caution. He looks over his shoulder at something. "That doesn't matter. I don't have much time before the guards realize I'm gone, so you need to listen to what I have to say. Can you do that?"

I nod, speechless.

"Natsu is in trouble. Everyone in this room is in trouble." He whispers urgently. "Be ready. There's no telling how much of his mind is intact right now."

"Who the hell are you?" I hiss in response, eyes growing wider with each passing second.

He doesn't smile now. His expression is somber. "Take care of my son, Lucy. He's the only one of us left."

With that, he dissapears into the crowd, leaving me speechless.

"Igneel." I whisper, just as the entire ballroom explodes in a glorious blaze of flames. All I hear are the screams of the guests, the shouting of the guards, and a roar that shakes me to the bone and alights a flame in my heart.

He's here. And he's destroying the palace.

I see the fire-breathing dragon, and do the rational thing: run towards him.

His wings span half the ballroom, but he seems to take up the whole space. I don't know how he got here, but there's a giant hole in the side of the palace, and his sweeping tail smashes into the grand staircase, causing the railing to crumble to pieces. He's going to hurt people. Innocent people.

"Natsu!" I shout through the ruckus. "Natsu!"

He looks up, spotting me. His eyes are completely cold. Feral. Natsu isn't in there anymore.

Well, crap. He's spotted me, and he's coming this way. A dragon who can think of nothing but killing and fire.

This was a really bad idea. So I do the only rational thing: Run. Away from the fire-breathing dragon.

Unfortunately for me, murphy's law takes affect, and my dress snags on a fallen beam. It doesn't just catch. A sharp piece of the beam goes all the way through the fabric, becoming impossible to get free of. I trip and fall with an 'oof,' quickly recovering and trying to scramble away from him.

He growls, advancing. He looks just like the dragon that defended me back at the mansion, but he isn't. There's something seriously wrong with him now.

"Natsu! Stop this! What happened to you?!" I cry, backing away.

His nostrils flare, collecting my scent. A blast of hot air slams into me.

"Natsu!" I scream, shutting my eyes tight as he rears his head back to barbeque me.

He stops, looking at me with those stone cold eyes. I cover my head with both arms, unaware of the chaos unfolding around the two of us.

He shakes his great head, blinking a few times, and blowing another blast of hot air over me.

I look at him in fear. "Natsu….please...come back…"

He puts his head up to the ceiling and roars, sending a tremor through the palace. He crouches, spreading his wings to fly. His front legs rise up off the ground, and before I realize what's happening, he's lifting me into the air, and we're flying up, up, out of the palace, into the night sky.

… **.I don't even know what to say. I'm sorry? I know this took foreeeveeeer, but it's done. Yay! I hope you enjoyed the long chapter, (at least I think it's long.)**

 **So….whaddya think of Malachi? He's not who we think he is. *evil troll-author grin*.**

 **I am taking AP bio, which means a minimum of two hours study time** **every night.** **Just for that class. So if I don't update frequently, don't hate me. : /**

 **I'm also working on my amazing, future best-seller, debut novel on wattpad at the same time, (which at the moment is really only two chapters long with like 8 reads lol :) If you want to, you can check that out. It's called Make You Proud and my username is kelliojo.**

 **Nalu fluff next chapter! Yay!**


	17. Safe at last?

**I AM SO EXCITED TO PUBLISH THIS CHAPTER!**

 **I started this an entire week earlier than planned, and yet this is still late. :\ But if it weren't for all the reviews the last chapter got, this probably would've been written waaaay later and would've been a month late instead of two weeks. (hint hint)**

 **So a lot of you are mad at Malachi. (It's ok, you're supposed to be.) I wonder how that'll turn out?**

 **I'll just tell you now that there is a bigger picture and you'll see in the end but AAARgh I love being a writer I get to throw all the plot twists at you and watch the chaos that ensues. *evil author face***

 **Without further adou, chapter 17!**

 **P.S: This is a major fluff chapter. You're welcome.**

It's raining today.

The droplets drip down from the gutters, splashing onto the cobblestones below with tiny, steady _plunks._ There aren't very many people out on the street today, save for the soldiers patrolling the place. Their numbers have doubled after the dragon attack yesterday.

A young woman stands outside of a tavern, shivering in her soaking wet clothing. The sounds of laughter and drinking drift out from the building, suggesting warmth and comfort, but she stays out in the rain. She'll go to join them soon enough.

For now, she's waiting. He'll be here any minute.

A carriage rolls by, clattering down the street and spraying up water. The sound of its wheels on the cobblestone fade away as it once again surrenders the street to the steady drumbeat of the rain.

Finally, she looks up, seeing a tall figure make his way towards the tavern, dressed completely in black cloth. His appearance makes her heart flutter excitedly in her chest, making her forget the feeling of the icy raindrops running down her arms. His strides lengthen as he sees her petite form, and within moments she's in his arms, and he's holding her tight, kissing her in the middle of the street. A single tear runs down her face, almost indistinguishable from the droplets of rain on her skin. It's a bittersweet moment: A beautiful flower blooming in the middle of a hurricane.

Finally she pulls away, never taking her eyes off of him. They're silent for no more than a moment.

"You're okay." She whispers.

"Of course I'm ok. I wasn't gonna be taken out by that fire-breather." He grunts, rolling his eyes. After seeing her expression, he cracks a small uncharacteristic smile. "Come on, shrimp. Have a little faith."

The girl crossed her arms stubbornly, scowling. "How do you expect me not to be worried? You were _there._ With a _dragon._ A _fire-breathing dragon._ The news has spread all over town."

He shrugs. "I wouldn't have gone if I didn't think I could handle a dragon."

"Wait…" She blinks. "You _knew?_ "

"Erm…" He rubs the back of his neck, looking away uncomfortably. "Maybe…."

A loud smack was heard by a few passerby. "Gajeel!"

"Ow!" He complained, even though the red mark on his face barely stung. "...why?"

"You could've died and you _knew?!_ "

"I already told you, I'm not gonna be taken down by a little twerp like Natsu." He scoffs. He had, upon the request of Gray Fullbuster, attended the princess's engagement ball, just as a precaution. Though the princess hadn't known, he had been watching the whole time to make sure everything went according to plan.

"He's not a little twerp. He's dragon." She corrects him, looking over her shoulder as an afterthought, in case anyone heard. Thankfully, there's no one in sight. "And he's your cousin, for goodness sake. Be nice."

"Well, so am I. Quit worrying about it. Let's go inside." He replies. Almost on cue, a young woman with unusual white hair opens the tavern door, poking her head out.

"Levy, are you-Gajeel! You're back!" She exclaims, sad blue eyes brightening just a little.

The couple turns to see their guildmate, momentarily forgetting their quarrel. In moments, several members of the guild have come out to meet the iron dragon.

"Gajeel!"

"What the hell were you thinking! Are you crazy?"

"Are you okay?"

"Is Natsu okay?"

"Don't forget Princess Lucy!"

Gajeel grunts yes's or no's, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. Within fifteen minutes, everyone has gathered in the basement, sitting around Gajeel in something of a circle to hear his report. The only thing they know is that Natsu busted into the grand ballroom, grabbed Lucy, and flew off. That isn't enough. They want details.

"Look, Natsu and Lucy are fine. Have a little faith, geez. They'll probably lie low for a while, and contact us whenever they can." He says, irritated at all the attention.

Just as the words leave his mouth, a pounding sound is heard from the upstairs tavern. A moment later, a panting MiraJane appears in the doorway, clutching her swollen belly. She's due any day now. Everyone's attention is pulled away from Gajeel as they stared in horror at her terrified face. Laxus nearly pushes over his chair as he gets up, seeing his wife in distress.

"They're…"She gasps for breath. Pregnancy isn't easy. "They're-Aaaaigh!"

She's pulled backwards by a strong arm, belonging to a Fiore soldier.

"Fairy Tail." The officer says smugly. "On the authority of King Jude of Fiore, everyone in this room is under arrest for high treason."

 **Lucy's POV**

We're flying.

When I say flying, I mean Natsu-the-dragon is doing all the work and I'm dangling precariously from his claws, feeling like I'm going to fall to my death.

I don't know how long it's been, but Natsu hasn't stopped. He just stares ahead, glassy reptilian eyes contracted into narrow slits. I don't recognize the land anymore. There's nothing but rocky crags and mountains for as far as the eye can see.

It must be well after midnight. The moon is high up in the sky, and the cool night air fills my lungs with each breath. It's nice.

Without warning, Natsu takes a sharp dive downward, leaving my soul behind in the clouds. My heart is still pounding when three of his giant feet pound into the rock of the mountainside. I scramble out of his hold, mentally exhausted from the past twenty-four hours. All I want to do is find a nice, soft bed, and take a very long nap, but given my current location, that doesn't seem very likely.

I bring myself to my feet, gaping up at the vast expanse of gray rock that seems to go up for miles. Directly in front of us, blending into the side of the mountain, is a huge cave entrance. I never would have noticed it if Natsu hadn't set down right on the doorstep.

Natsu snorts, every scale rippling as he stalks past me into the cave. His tail sweeps back and forth calmly; he barely acknowledges me when he passes. I blink, standing still as a stone. This is the first time I've seen him in like this. Each time before, he's been a roaring, fire-breathing, ferocious monster, defying humanity with his entire being. Seeing him calm and relaxed is unnerving in the least.

After a moment, I command my feet to follow, entering the mountain. My whole body is sore from the events of the day, but while I want nothing more than to lie down and sleep forever, there _is_ the minor issue of being stuck. On a mountain. With a dragon.

The inside of the cave is huge, although it's hard to tell in the dark. When I say huge, I mean it could fit thirty dragons, no problem. There are stalactites hanging from the ceiling, and moonlight reflects off of them from the entrance. Natsu looks at me for a few moments, and for a moment there's a streak of humanity in his eyes. It's gone so fast that I think I imagined it.

Nevermind that, I'm exhausted. My knees don't want to hold me up anymore, and my eyelids are wanting to close.

Without meaning too, I drop to the ground; the cold, stone cave floor. I don't care. I'm too tired to care.

My brain tells me to sleep. For once, I agree.

As my consciousness begins to drift away, I am vaguely aware of the sensation of being enveloped by a giant, warm wing, forming a tent over my head and trapping all the warm air with it.

 _Natsu._

With that final, comforting thought, I let darkness claim me.

Rays of sunlight shine between the stalactites on the ceiling, making shadows on the walls. Something digs into my side; the stone beneath is hard and cold. I blink my eyes open and find myself staring at a wall of rock.

Oh, no. My joints are going to kill me.

As my mind awakens, it notifies me that there is an arm around my waist and a warm presence against my back. I smile to myself, relieved. He must have reverted back to his human form in the night.

"Natsu?" I murmur. No response. I can hear his soft snoring in my ears, a firm indicator that the big lug is sound asleep. That's okay; he deserves a good rest.

I gently attempt to lift his arm off of me, but he mutters something in his sleep and wraps it tighter around me, like a kid clutching a stuffed animal. I sigh, mildly exasperated. Upon the second attempt to free myself, he wraps both arms around my waist and mutters some incomprehensible complaint.

"Natsu…" I protest. "C'mon, let me up. I want to go check it out."

He responds by snuggling into the crook of my neck. "I'm asleep, I can't hear you."

I roll my eyes. It's hopeless. Not that I can really complain.

As I relax and curl up against him, I let out a contented sigh. Despite the awful situation we're in, it's nice to just stay here for a few minutes. We've both been through a lot.

I place my hands over his, gently playing with his fingers. They're warm.

I don't know how much time passes. But finally, the responsible adult in the back of my mind reminds me that we should probably figure things out.

"Natsu."

"Mmmm."

"We need to get up."

"Mmhmm."

"Natsu!"

The muscles in his arms ripple as he stretches, yawning. "C'mon, Luce, what's the hurry anyway?"

I shift around in his arms so that we're facing each other. "We can't just do nothing."

He grins his signature grin, the one that I haven't seen in weeks. The one that makes his whole face light up, like a little kid at a festival. "I don't see any problem with that."

I shake my head. "You're hopeless, you know that, right?"

He plants a soft kiss on my lips. "Nope."

I crack a smile at his little comment. Typical Natsu.

His eyes hold laughter in them, despite the disheveled state of his hair, the dirt under his fingernails, and the holes in his clothing.

Yes, he is wearing clothing, if you must ask. I'm not really sure how the whole dragon to human transformation works, but somehow the clothes just reappear every time he transforms into a human. It makes no sense, but, hey, I'm not about to complain.

I place a hand on his cheek, looking at him for several long moments. "I love you."

"I love you too." He smiles softly, but his expression soon sobers. He draws me closer to his chest, tucking my head under his chin. "To be honest I...I'd given up. I didn't think we had a chance. Thought I'd die down there, and you…well, you know."

He trails off, leaving the unspoken meaning hanging in the air. I nod slightly, feeling his heartbeat beneath my cheek. "We're here now. We're safe."

A quiet chuckle rumbles through his chest. "You've got that right. There's no way in hell that's ever gonna happen again."

We lapse into silence again. By now, I can see the sun peeking over the mountain tops in the distance.

"Natsu?"

"Hmmm?"

"The rock is getting really uncomfortable." I say flatly.

He gets to his feet, grabbing my hand to help me up. He doesn't let go of it when I'm on my feet again. With daylight seeping in, I can finally make out the details of the cavern. It goes much deeper than I thought, disappearing into the darkness.

"Shall we?" He asks, raising an eyebrow in question.

"By all means, let's." I reply. Together, we make our way towards the back to see what sort of thing lurks there.

We keep it lighthearted, hand in hand as we walk over the stone and navigate around a few pools of still water. Finally, we run into what looks like the end of the cave. Natsu lights his hand on fire, providing a torch, which flickers off the limestone.

"I guess that's it." I say, looking around.

Without a word, Natsu places the palm of his right hand on the stone. To my surprise, lines of glowing ember spread from his fingers, undulating with orange light. Within moments, the rock moves to the side with a loud scraping sound, revealing a dark stairway. He turns to me with a smug look.

I stand there speechless. "Uummm…."

"If my guess is right, this is an old Dragneel fortress. It's been in the family for centuries." Natsu runs a hand through his hair casually. "I, er, may have forgotten to mention that when we first got here."

"Right." I say slowly. "So you've never been here?"

"Nope. I have a sort of honing instinct, I guess. It brought me here." He shrugs, indicating the stone walls. "This cavern is a landing strip for dragons. No sense hanging around."

I nod, running a hand along the smooth edge of the doorway. Without waiting another moment, he starts up the stairs, illuminating the walls as he goes. I make sure to stay close behind him so that I don't get lost in the dark.

It's a long staircase. That's coming from a girl who grew up in a palace. My legs want to give out by the time we emerge into a dim corridor. There are no torches waiting to be lit along the walls; I look at Natsu skeptically.

"Where are the lights?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" He replies over his shoulder, running a finger over a little stone ledge..

"There aren't any torches here. The estate had them."

His eyebrows come together in a thin line as he looks up and down the corridor in search of a way to illuminate it.

After a moment, he grins. "There aren't any, because we don't use torches."

I groan, rolling my eyes. "I guess you can tell this place wasn't built for humans."

He laughs. "That's not what I meant."

The flame in his hand dances, spreading a soft glow over his features. He places his hand in a groove, about three inches across, on the top of the ledge, which I hadn't seen before. It runs all the way down the hallway and around the corner. The flames spread into the groove, moving along until there is a vein of flickering coals lighting the corridor.

"My cousins in Bosco used to light their estate with coal lacrimas. They're kinda like magic coals; they can keep the fire alive for a long time, and they never burn away. You have to relight them every once in awhile, but this groove probably runs through the entire fortress." Natsu explains.

"That's amazing." I breathe, staring at the flickering embers.

Natsu beams. His canines glint in the firelight. "Right? C'mon, the living area is somewhere around here."

He takes my hand in his, pulling me along. We round the corner into another corridor, which soon leads up a staircase, where it splits into three hallways. We stop, trying to gain our bearings.

"What now?" I say, hugging his arm.

He looks down at me with carefree eyes. "Does it matter?"

"If we want to find the our way back out, it does." I point out.

"We'll make it out eventually. C'mon, let's just go straight ahead and see where it leads." He suggests, stepping forward without a thought to the possible consequences.

"Okay. But if you get us lost, you're in trouble." I tell him.

"Oh, I'm scared."

It strikes me then that this is the Natsu that I fell in love with in the first place. Before our world became a crazy mess of running and running and running. I...I could get used to it again.

 _Three hours later..._

"We should crash in here tonight. I'm really liking the pillows." Natsu says, lying on a bed in the bedroom we've stumbled upon during our expedition. I stand in the doorway, fuming. We've been stumbling around the castle all day, and it's nearly time for lunch. We skipped breakfast because we couldn't find the kitchen, which _supposedly_ has a store of food for emergencies, according to Natsu. Lucky for us, this fortress was built for war-so thank the gods we won't have to worry about intruders-but we might starve to death in the meantime.

"I really couldn't care less about sleep right now, that's hours away." I grouch. "We need to find food."

Natsu props himself up on an elbow, looking every bit the fabulous princess. He rolls his eyes a little, not really listening. "Quit acting like we're trying to survive the apocalypse, Luce. We'll be fine. Chill."

I sigh, exasperated. "Natsu, we're lost."

"No we aren't. I know exactly where we are." He declares.

I cross the room to flop down on my back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling forlornly. Sunlight drifts through the skylight in the ceiling, reminding me that the castle, as we discovered, has towers extending outside of the mountain.

We're silent for a minute. I absent-mindedly twirl a lock of my hair around my finger. Finally, I look up, one eyebrow raised. "You have no idea where we are. Admit it."

He grins sheepishly, and I find it impossible to stay angry. Even so, I do my best to keep my facial features locked in a scowl.

"C'mon, Luce. Give me a break. I just went through a traumatic experience!" His grin turns a shade darker, and he leans over me. "Besides, being paralyzed for a week sucks."

I feel my face flush, avoiding eye contact. Partly because of his underhanded comment, and partly because of his close proximity. Even after so long, he still makes my heart beat faster.

"I-I...That wasn't my idea." I mutter, looking away. In all the chaos of the past few weeks, I'd completely forgotten about it. A fresh wave of guilt wraps around my heart. "I'm sorry. I didn't have any options, Natsu. "

"We _had_ options." He hisses softly. His face is suddenly dead serious. "I'd rather die than go through that again."

"Natsu-"

"Do you have any idea what it's like, lying there, fully conscious, and being completely unable to move a single muscle? Knowing that while you're trying to move your pinkie finger, the love of your _life_ is being taken by _somebody else_ , and you don't know when, or where, so all you can do is lie there wondering what the _hell_ is happening outside your bedroom door and whether it's too late to fix it." The unexpected emotion in his voice catches me off guard-weren't we just food just a moment ago?-and he takes a shuddering breath, calming his voice to a whisper. "Do you have any idea what that's like, Luce?"

His hands dig into my shoulders. He's hovering over me, propped up by his arms, eyes filled with unspoken words. I meet them, surprised by the flames burning inside. I can't reply. I don't know.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

He shakes his head, regaining his composure with a few shaky breaths. "Just-don't do that again, and I won't do anything stupid. Deal?"

"It's a deal." I smile softly, leaning up to kiss him. We lie there for a few moments, until everything comes crashing down at once. I laugh a little. "Hey...we're okay. You're alive and I'm not married."

Just like that, his grin returns, and the air of seriousness evaporates like the morning dew. He laughs, shaking his head. "We're okay."

He looks me in the eyes, reaching up to gently tuck an unbrushed strand of blonde hair behind my ear. His palm is rough and warm against my cheek, where he cups my face in his hand. I know what's coming then, clear as a midsummer night. "We're okay."

He leans down and kisses me slowly, as if we've got all the time in the world-which I guess we do. Warmth spreads out from my chest, running through my veins until my whole body tingles. I return the kiss with equal care. My hands find their way into his salmon locks, and my fingers run through it, surprised by the unexpected softness of his hair. I take a deep breath of him, his smoky, earthy scent, mixed with the smell of sweat and grime, which reminds me that he hasn't bathed in weeks. Somehow, I don't care. I'm in a whole different world, and I don't plan on coming back anytime soon.

I deepen the kiss, pushing into a rythym that matches our rapid heartbeats. His hands slide down to rest in the hollows above my pelvis, withdrawing a small gasp from my mouth. My hands tighten their grip on his hair. He draws me closer, until our hips are flesh against one another. With every kiss, I feel as if my body is going to burst into flames, from the way my heart pounds in my ears and the warm flush in my cheeks.

My hands roam under the fabric of his vest, running lightly over the chiseled muscles on his abdomen. He grunts softly, gripping the fabric around my waist in clenched hands. "Lucy…."

My eyes are half-open, but they widen when he says my name. "Hm?"

He looks at me with all the love in the world. "Marry me."

My heart thuds to a stop. _Yes._ I want to say. I can't form the words. I open my mouth, wide-eyed with surprise, but what comes out isn't a word.

He laughs softly. "Can I take that as a yes?"

I clear my throat. "What do you think?" My cheeks burn, but I'm supressing a giddy smile. "Just kiss me, you idiot."

He grins, gladly complying.

* * *

Makarov Dreyer knew, the moment he heard the screams, that it was over.

He was in his office, in the back of the guild, meaning he had about two minutes before the soldiers found him too.

He put aside all of his panic-right now, his children needed him to be calm. Without wasting a second, he picked up a pen and began to write on a piece of paper. Footsteps echoed in the hall, and the doorknob rattled.

He signed the letter, sealing it and muttering a quick magic spell just as the door burst off of its hinges, shattering the doorframe completely.

"Makarov Dreyar, you-" The soldier began shouting.

"Yes, I know. No sense repeating it twice." The old man grunted. The soldiers had anti-magic shields, he had seen it all before, though had always been lucky enough to avoid this. There was nothing he could do to stop it. No doubt his children had tried their hardest to fight back-he would be disappointed in them if they hadn't. But he knew it was a hopeless battle.

He hopped off of his chair, and the soldiers surrounded him. They were so focused on the short old man that they didn't notice the slip of paper flying out the window.

* * *

I have no idea how much time has passed, but Natsu and I eventually drift off into companionable silence. He twirls a piece of my hair around his finger, letting it go and watching it uncurl slightly.

I nestle my head into his shoulder, closing my eyes in contentment. It's warm.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

He shifts, wrapping me tighter in his arms. "I love you too, you know."

We stay like that for a while. I don't have anywhere to go.

Suddenly, something dings right above our heads, and I look up, momentarily confused by a piece of paper floating above our heads. "Natsu-"

"I know." He says, looking up. He doesn't seem surprised by the new item, only confused. He sits up, leaving my arms cold from where his had been.

He snatches it out of the air, unfolding it and scanning the words with narrowed eyes. When he finishes, he curses vehemently and hands it to me. I take it between my thumb and forefinger, almost afraid to read it.

 _Natsu-_

 _I hope this letter finds you in time. Fairy Tail has been discovered and arrested. It is very likely that we won't be alive by the end of this week. I hope you understand our predicament. You are our last hope, but I want you to keep yourself and the princess safe above all else._

 _Don't be too stupid._

 _-Makarov_

I drop the letter, stunned. "How did they _know?"_

"I don't know. Dammit, I don't know." He hisses, standing up and putting his vest back on. I sit on the edge of the bed, watching him with fear.

"Natsu, there's no guarantee that my father will choose to execute them."

"No, you're father will kill them all. It's what he does best." He fumes, murderous light in his eyes. "Do you remember when I told you I was going to barbeque your dad if we ever met face to face?"

"What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to save them. You're staying here." He says, throwing on his sandals.

"No, If you're going, I'm coming with." I say, standing up and straightening my dress.

Natsu's head snaps up. "Not happening. It's not safe."

"That's not stopping you from going." I point out, crossing my arms.

He scowls. "Look, Lucy, this isn't a joke. This isn't some scenario where you walk in and everything is fine and nobody gets hurt. People are going to die."

"I'm coming, Natsu." I insist, crossing to the closet, which is conveniently magic-based, quickly requipping me with a simple tunic and leggings. I turn around to see him watching me sternly.

"I don't have to carry you, you know. It's not like you get a say in it." He says. "Besides, Makarov told me to keep you safe."

"I do get a say in it, if you want me to ever speak to you again." I threaten,

"I'm sorry, you never gave me any say when you drugged me and ran off to marry another prince!" He shouts. I can see smoke rising from his fists.

I turn on him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "That is _not_ fair!"

"Oh, I think it is! You don't really play _fair,_ anyways." He spits, venom dripping from his words. The tension in the room is so thick, you could cut it with a knife. We're both terrified, but what I don't understand is why he feels the need to push me away when we should be in this together.

" _Natsu Dragneel_ -"

"Don't even start! If you come, you'll only get in the way."

"I'll _only_ get _in the way?!_ What am I for then, cooking and looking pretty?"

"I-"He starts to shout, but stops himself, pausing for a moment to keep his voice under control."That is _not_ what I meant and you know it."

"If that's what you think of me, fine. I don't care." I say bitterly. "But those are my friends too. I deserve a chance to help them."

"You'll get yourself killed."

"My father wouldn't do that."

"Your _father_ is a complete asshole! You trust him and that's going to get you killed." Natsu says, taking a step closer so that my nose is just a few inches from his chest.

"And what happens if you leave me here, Natsu? What if you don't make it back? I'll be left here forever, and I'd rather die than be alone for my whole existence."

"I'll come back."

"Oh really? How do you plan on on defeating the entire army that my father probably has guarding the place?"

"I'll think of something."

"You'll die. At least with me, you'll have a bargaining chip."

"Exactly why you're not coming." He growls.

"I'm coming."

"Dammit, Lucy, don't you get that I'm just trying to protect you?" He raises his voice again, turning his back to me and running his hands through his hair to try and diffuse his anger. He faces me again, slightly more calm, but not by much.

"You've done plenty of that."I say quietly. "From the moment I met you, you've been doing that. But now you need to stop protecting me and let me do this."

He shakes his head, opening and closing his mouth, as if he can't find the words to say. He looks down at his shoes, and when he meets my eyes, his are starting to tear up. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm just-I'm just terrified of losing you."

"I know." I tell him, stepping forward to wrap my arms around his waist. "How do you think I've felt this whole time? You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Stay back. You're safer here." He murmurs against my hair.

"I can't do that." I tell him.

He sighs. "We'll leave in a half hour." He looks me in the face with a dead serious expression.

"If you die, I swear on my father's body that I will fly to heaven, bust past the guards, and take you back."

I blink, remembering something. "Right, about that…."

"About dying?"

"No. It's about your father." I tell him. I realize that this might hit him hard, after so many years. "You might want to sit down."

"I'm fine." He says, looking at me expectantly.

"Your father-King Igneel-He's alive." I say. "I met him. At the engagement ball."

"That's impossible." Natsu says automatically.

"No, it was him. No doubt about it. Black eyes, dark red hair?"

Natsu's eyes flash. "...there's no way...there's no way…."

"It was him, Natsu. He told me to take care of you, because you're the only one left."

"Dad..."He stands there, stunned. "After all this time….did he leave me alone?"

"No!" I say quickly. "He said something about not having much time, because the guards would notice that he was gone. I think he might've been held prisoner this whole time."

His eyes harden. "If they've been holding him all these years, they've got a few things coming for 'em."

"Are you ready to go, then?" I ask.

"Yeah." He growls. "I'm all fired up."

* * *

Cobra paced impatiently in front of the meeting room, listening to the muffled voices on the other side of the door. He looked unusually angry, almost manic in his appearance. As soon as the door opened, he spun around, face to face with the crown prince of Fiore.

"Can we _talk_ for a moment?" He hissed.

A minute later, they were on a balcony, far away from prying ears.

"Mind explaining to me why _my_ princess has once again been kidnapped by that dragon brat?!" He screamed quietly.

"Calm down." Malachi said quietly. "It's all just apart of the plan. Everything went accordingly, so there's no need to worry."

"I'm sorry, since when was a dissapearing princess part of the plan?" Cobra hissed.

"It always has been. Look, the dragon has the princess. We have Fairy Tail under custody. They'll have to return to rescue their friends, so no matter what happens, we'll be able to eliminate the dragon from the scenario."

"He won't bring the princess."

"If he doesn't, we'll just use tracking magic to find her again. She won't have any dragons protecting her this time." Malachi's eyes narrowed. "We will have our empire, Cobra. Just wait."

"Yeah? Well, if you don't make good on that…" He drew his finger across his neck. "It's war."

Malachi smiled. "Of course."

 **WOOHOO! Heck yeah, end of chapter. 5,000 words, you're welcome. SOOO much stuff happened here. GaLe Fluff: check. ALL THE NALU FLUFF: check. NALU's first real argument: check. Let's not forget that Natsu freaking lowkey proposed to Lucy in this chappie. :]**

 **You are welcome. *bows.***

 **Two more chappies to go, and then we're done. I'm gonna cry.**

 **So we have a power outage at my house right now, so I've been trying so hard to save power but oh well, It'll be back on in a few days. I really am just waiting for wifi so I can update.**

 **See ya, my dudes!**


	18. Him or Me

**I HAVE RISEN FROM THE DEAD! That's right fuckers, it's me, in the flesh and posting a new chapter! After an entire year! No doubt most of you have forgotten this story or lost interest, but hey, that means new people can read it! Yay! Tbh I just felt so bad reading through the reviews that begged for a new chapter that I just had to give you one. And after this, I hope to** _ **actually wrap up this story.**_ **Seriously, three years is way too long to be writing a fanfiction.**

 **Ok, for the record, Cobra and Malachi are not gay. Although, as I have been reading this, I think my characters have accidently turned gay without me really intending for anything to happen. Oops! XD. However, there will not be any sort of pairing there. Not part of the plotline.**

 **A lot of you will hate Malachi after this. Personally, he's my favorite to write. I love that no one really knows where his true intentions lie. Judging by the reviews, you guys either are pissed off at him already or just really want him to be good. Well, um...I honestly don't know what to tell you. You'll see. Um...don't hate me too much. I know that recent fairy tail chapters have been rather traumatic and I don't want to break your hearts even more.**

 **So, yeah. Chapter 18!**

"Captain, we've established a perimeter." The guard made the report quickly, obviously out of his comfort zone. Captain Fullbuster nodded grimly, clapping him on the shoulder firmly.

"Good. We're expecting a disturbance, so stay sharp."

The guard saluted, then returned to his post on the edge of the courtyard. There was a soldier stationed every ten feet around the entire courtyard, and not one of them looked comfortable. Most simply stood at their posts, remaining as still as statues, but there were a few who kept glancing nervously at the sky. They were all terrified. In fact, the very air inside the stone walls seemed to be charged with negative energy.

The Captain's gaze narrowed as he looked around, guaging the situation. He seemed completely at ease, but if you were observant, you could see how tight the grip he had on his sword was. This was a man who was accustomed to wearing a mask.

"They'll be bringing the prisoners out in a few minutes." A voice informed him. It belonged to Erza Scarlet, Captain of the guard. She kept her voice low, so that only he could hear. "I don't know how much time there is."

He looked at his oldest friend with an unreadable expression. "I see. So it's really happening, then."

"I'm afraid so."

He only dipped his head in remorse. The swell of emotion that he felt was almost too much for him to bear, and it was building up behind his wall. After all-his family was about to be slaughtered, and they were still trying to come up with a course of action.

"The King! He's entering!" Erza exclaimed in a hiss. Both automatically stood at attention, watching their monarch with steely gazes.

The man was dressed in his finest robes, heavily adorned in gold and jewels. He was followed by his cabinet: A few advisors, the crown prince, and his guest, Prince Cobra. Gray's expression hardened just a little upon seeing the foreigner.

A few minutes of silence passed, until the great doors to the courtyard opened once more, and the prisoners were led into the courtyard.

They were all bound, even the children.

They were all there-Makarov, Levy, Gajeel, Laxus, Gildarts, Bisca and Alzack-even little Asuka. They each met his eyes at some point, but none of them were angry or demanding. They all knew that this wasn't something they couldn't stop.

That didn't stop Gray from sucking in a breath when he saw MiraJane, swollen and due any day now, and the bruises and injuries sustained by the rest of the guild. No doubt they put up one heck of a fight.

"Natsu will be here. No one will die. He has enough power to take down every guard in the vicinity." Erza placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm her comrade. He relaxed slightly, but the tension never left his shoulders. "We just need to have faith

Once the prisoners were kneeling in front of the guillotine, the king stood, looking very pleased with himself. "Fairy Tail, you have wronged the kingdom of Fiore by practicing magic. I hereby sentence you to death."

In Fiore, there was a law which guaranteed every citizen a fair trial. To the king, he had just conducted a trial, playing both judge and juror.

It made Gray Fullbuster seethe in fury.

As for fairy tail, they held their heads high, even as Master Makarov was led to the guillotine. Most of them were crying silently, but they didn't speak. No one could say they didn't go out with pride.

The executioner prepared the blade, which glinted cruelly in the sunlight. Makarov, bound at the hands and feet, was shoved to his knees in front of the head locks. His eyes were closed in resignation, and the only sound in the surrounding area was a sob from Mira.

"My Children," He said clearly, even while tears rolled down his wrinkled cheeks."It has been quite the adventure."

The hooded executioner shoved his head forward, so that it was resting on the block. The headlock came down, and it was secured.

Gray tensed, looking wild-eyed at Erza. He was ready to go up there and shove an ice blade through the king's chest.

"No." She gritted her teeth, holding back tears. She looked just as conflicted as Gray did. "We have to stick to the plan. Master gave us specific-"

"I don't care!" Gray whispered angrily. "He's going to die!"

"He knew that." She replied, though it pained her greatly to say it. She closed her eyes, waiting in dread for the sound of the blade falling. "Master..."

But the sound that exploded across the courtyard wasn't that of a blade slicing through the air. It was the sound of a dragon roaring in anger.

 **Lucy's POV**

The moment we tumbled to the ground, I knew everything was about to go terribly wrong.

Five minutes ago, I was actually feeling pretty confident. Natsu managed to control his dragon form, and we flew straight to the palace. When i looked down from where I was on Natsu's back, I didn't see the huge army I was imagining. There was only a small force of guards, each hiding fear beneath their malicious scowls. I wouldn't have guessed that the moment we entered the courtyard, a buzz would fill the air. Not electricity-magic. In the blink of an eye, it was no longer a dragon beneath me, but a very human Natsu. We fell, rather gracelessly, to the feet of my father, who stood there unfeeling as Natsu tried, in vain, to summon a spark.

Their hands were rough as they bound my wrists and ankles. I will say, in my defense, that I fought tooth and nail the whole way down. But I must have known, deep down, that this was how it had to end. The only possible outcome to our fantasy tale. I knew, in the moment our eyes met through the struggling tangle of hands and chains, that if anything, we would at least meet our deaths together.

I now kneel before my father, this time bound not with the chains of royalty but with real, physical chains. The iron bites into my skin, the cold scent of metal reaching my nostrils. The courtyard is silent. I almost smile. I anticipated shouting, warlords, and jeering crowds, but it's just me, Natsu, our friends. Not even the birds dare to sing. They must know the dark intimacy of this moment. The cruel inevitability that is death. And yet, I find peace. For a moment, the insanity of the last twenty four hours fades away. I will die by my father's hand. The certainty of that calms me. There is no escaping it, no fighting it.

I look to my left, where Natsu is bound with layer upon layer of anti-magic chains. He meets my gaze, eyes sad, filled with unshed tears. An apology.

I wish that I weren't bound. I would reach out for his hand, offer small comfort where there is none. Instead, I never break his gaze, shutting out the rest of the world and allowing myself to see only him for however long my life will last.

The executioner unsheathes his blade, stepping forward. I cringe away from him, but it isn't me that he turns to. Instead, he looks at the King, as if awaiting something.

My eyes flicker instinctively to my brother, who is standing to the side with an emotionless expression. His jaw clenches a little bit when the prisoner is dropped, groaning, to the cold stone, but he gives no other indication that he is affected by any of this. I swallow, hard, as fear begins to creep, uninvited, into my stomach.

The King steps forward. He no longer deserves the title of father.

"Lucy, my dear. We were worried we'd have to start without you." He fixes me with stone cold eyes, a smug grin playing on his lips.

"Fuck you." I spit. His eyes narrow to dark slits, lips tightening at my words.

"Such language. I thought I taught you better." He returns to his pasted on smile, squaring his shoulders as if he's speaking to an enemy. "When you ran away the first time, I was willing to let it go. I gave you a second chance." His voice grows louder. "As a father, it was my duty to direct my children onto the right path. But you…" He points an accusing finger at Natsu, who returns the glare with a hateful snarl. "You deserve death for everything that you're kind has done to mine."

Not a soul dares to move at his words. I catch a flash of dark red hair out of the corner of my eye, and turn to see cobra, just as smug as ever, standing to the side. He thinks he's won. Maybe he has.

"But to you, Lucy, I give one more chance." Natsu's head shoots up at this, and his eyes fill with desperate hope. "Although you have brought shame to the family name, I am willing, in my benevolence, to spare your life. Repent of your actions and continue with the marriage to our esteemed guest, Prince Cobra of Bosco, and no harm will come to you."

"Lucy…" I don't look at him, at Natsu, but I can feel his eyes on me, searching, pleading. He wants me to say yes. He wants to save my life. I close my eyes tightly, if only to shut out his gaze that seems to burn right through me.

So with a feeling of guilt that weighs down my lungs, I look up at my father. "Save it. I'd rather die."

He blinks. This isn't what he was expecting from the obedient daughter that he rejected and abused for so many years. I'm not the same Lucy he raised, and that in itself gives me some sort of satisfaction. He didn't make me; he couldn't mold me into what he wanted me to be. I win, I guess. In some sick, twisted way. I win, he loses. I won the fight to retain the person that I am. He didn't change me, and that's how it will stay till the end.

"Very well." His voice sounds odd. Weak. He clears his throat, hardening his gaze as he continues. "Since you've both chosen to defy my authority as king, I sentence you to death."

As if his words are actually shocking, a collective gasp ripples throughout those gathered.

My father raises a hand, and the courtyard is again still. After several silent moments, the doors creak open, and a limp figure is dragged by the arms into the yard, head hanging limply to the side. I momentarily forget my predicament when I see his inhumane condition. There are chains around the poor wretch's arms, neck, and legs, and the gashes along his bare back are surrounded by dirt and bruises. For a moment, my father's attention is turned toward the prisoner, instead of us. He walks forward, every muscle in his body resembling a deadly predator. When he stops in front of the man, he buries a hand in his hair and roughly yanks his head back.

I swallow down a sob, fighting to keep my face neutral. It's the man who helped me, one of the only kind souls I encountered during the ball. I can barely recognize him; his face is purple and bloodied, and his body is filthy. No doubt this is all because he helped me.

" _Igneel."_ I murmur. I risk a glance at Natsu, who's face is as white as a sheet.

"... _Dad?!"_

Igneel grins painfully, staring up at the king through half lidded eyes. "Jude. You old bastard."

"Do you see it now? I've _won,_ old friend. Your family is gone, your kingdom is shattered, and your body is beaten." He snarls. "I've taken nearly everything from you, just like your son took everything from me. And now…"He spares a glance toward Natsu, who's muscles strain against his bonds, mouth agape and eyes filled with emotion. "I'll finish the job, and you get to watch."

Igneels eyes widen in fear, and he stares at his son. His pride is long gone, and he doesn't bother to conceal his emotions. He's terrified.

"I'll kill you." Igneel growls. "If you touch my son, I'll kill you."

"Oh, don't worry, I believe you." Jude laughs. "But Natsu will have his turn. First-my sword."

The executioner hands him an ornamental longsword, the hilt of which glistens wickedly in the noonday sun. I don't realize what's going on until the executioner grabs ahold of my upper arms, dragging me forward.

"Lucy! Get your hands off her!" That's Natsu's voice. It's unmistakeable through the haze of dread that surrounds me. "LUCY!"

The king looks down at me with a mirthless smile, examining the leather sheath of the sword. "I am truly sorry that things had to end like this, my daughter." He lifts his head to address the group. "Let her be the first of you. Let her be an example to anyone else who dares to defy me."

I expect him to raise the blade then, but instead, he steps back, turning to my brother and offering him the blade. "Would you?"

My brother will protect me. He'll save me from this fate. I search his face pleadingly, looking for some sign that this is all going to turn out alright. I see nothing.

Instead, what happens next breaks my heart in two.

He straightens his shoulders, taking the blade from my father and facing me. My heart thuds to a stop, and my resolve crumbles. "...Malachi…?"

He avoids my gaze, instead cleaning the blade with his sleeve. In the distance, I hear Natsu roaring with rage. Wait, there's more than one voice-Gray? The moment I think that is the moment that the ice mage lunges at my brother, trying to knock the blade from his hands.

"No! Malachi, this wasn't what we planned! What are you doing?! She's your _sister!"_ The betrayal in his voice is as clear as day. "This is wrong!"

Malachi smacks him away with a strength I didn't know he possessed. The guards are on him before I can blink, tackling the man to the ground and clicking cuffs around his wrists.

My brother returns his gaze to me.

I close my eyes tight. I'm trembling.

I didn't think it would be possible to be this terrified of any one human being. But this is worse. The betrayal is almost as strong as the blatant fear that causes my heart to thud painfully in my chest.

I'm afraid. I'm not the courageous princess who dared to defy the king of fiore. I'm not the selfless young woman who was willing to give up everything to protect the man she loved. I'm not even the girl who risked it all to save her friends. Right now, I'm just Lucy, the girl who wants to live.

It was all for nothing, and we're all about to die. Because of me.

I force myself to look up at my brother, expecting complete indifference. But I'm surprised by the emotions, the regret and guilt that I see there.

 _He looked down at the wailing bundle with furrowed eyebrows. "What's that?"_

 _His exhausted mother smiled at him warmly, holding the newborn proudly for her son to see. "This is your sister, Malachi. Her name is Lucy."_

 _His little nose scrunched up. "I don't want a sister."_

" _I think you'll change your mind after a while." His father chuckled. "Just you wait."_

He bends down to look me in the eyes. "Sorry, little sis. It didn't have to be this way."

" _Lucy! Don't put that in your mouth!" The young boy laughed, gently removing a wooden toy sword from her tiny grasp. The infant reached up to wrap her little fingers around her brother's nose, giggling. She had just recently developed a fascination for grabbing things._

 _The boy pulled his hand away good-naturedly, reaching behind him for a baby rattle. "Here, play with this instead."_

 _Their parent sat a little ways away, watching their children with content expressions. The King took his wife's hand lovingly. "He's a good big brother. I always knew he'd be the protector."_

 _She smiled in response. "He must've gotten it from you."_

Somehow, I get my voice to work.

"Why?" I rasp, my voice raw with pain.

" _What do you mean, you don't_ want _to_?! _" The king shouted. "I didn't realize you were making the rules now!"_

 _The young princess sat completely still in her chair, eyes downcast._

" _Worthless! That's what you are! I suppose I was always too soft on you, since you can't perform a simple task."_

 _The girl flinched._

 _As the king continued his rant, his son tensed in his chair. He stared at his sister, making an effort to keep his mouth shut against the protests that wanted to escape. Silently, he reached beneath the table, taking her hand in his. A small gesture, but her distress dissolved almost instantly._

I'll always be here _, the boy promised, the words unspoken._ Always.

"It's just the way it is. This is real life, Lucy. Wake up." His eyes harden. "This family is going to hell anyway."

 _The night was warm, but Malachi Heartfilia felt nothing but an icy feeling of dread in his chest._

 _Below the balcony, where he sat watching, the soldiers were sent out in droves, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the occasional neighs of the horses. They were going out to look for the princess._

" _Good luck, little sister." He murmured softly. "I'll make this better, I promise."_

He stands up, no emotion on his face.

 _I made a promise, didn't I, Lucy?_

 _I'd make this better._

He took the sword from it's sheath. His father stood next to him, watching with an intense gaze.

 _Well...I'm sorry_

 _I couldn't protect you, and look where we are now._

The princess shuddered at the sight of the wicked blade, closing her eyes and turning her head to the side. The desperate shouts of Igneel's son reached her ears, and tears fell onto her cheeks.

The King stepped forward, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "Do it."

Malachi raised the sword with steady hands.

 _Forgive me, Lucy._

Silence fell over the courtyard, and the blade came down, followed by the soft _thud_ of the body hitting the stone. The prince wiped the blood spatters off of his jacket as the courtyard erupted in shouting.

 **PLEASE DON'T HATE ME I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I TOLD YOU GUYS IT WOULD BE SAD BUT DON'T WORRY IT'S NOT OVER YET OKAY SO CALM DOWN.**

 **Okay I know that this chapter kinda sucked because it was rushed and I really just wanted to finish it. I know that there are probably a shit ton of inconsistencies, I just hope yall can overlook them.**

 **Yes there is another chapter. Yes I am a troll. See you next time lol bye**


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